Featured Artist

Matt Cervenka

Matt's work expands, enlarges, distorts and abstracts the physical and emotional world as he experiences it. It is representative of the geometric, abstract and bold color expressions of the subject matter (New York, Native American themes and scenes of cities and towns). Recent travel experiences in Mexico, the Southwest and the Iberian Peninsula have broadened the scope of his work to include new horizons and exciting subject matters. As a native New Yorker he has integrated the social and spatial complexities, as he perceived them.

With the passage of time, he has developed and matured his technique and thematic approach into a unique and recognizable individual style. The bold sense of color illustrates the way he deals with the profoundly felt emotional impact of the thematic material. The color and composition in the city themes projects the vibrancy of city living while the black and white pieces evoke the power, stress and emotions of city life. The strong sense and use of color in his work has become more powerful and vibrant since his experiences in the Southwest and Mexico. The Native American work with its boldness in color gives voice to the long needed recognition of that culture and its torment. In the interplay of figures, pottery and buildings, one sees movement, emotion and tension. The media he uses are pencil, ink, gouache (transparent and opaque), acrylic on canvas mixed media and collage. Most of his work is on paper. The work is labor intensive and complex in its detail.

Matthew Cervenka is a native New Yorker residing in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan. Matt studied at the School of Visual Arts and S.U.N.Y. at Farmingdale. Extensive travels in the Southwest, Mexico and Europe have provided inspiration and Matt has incorporated their cultures in his work. Native cultures ranging from the Pacific Northwest to the Andes have greatly influenced his themes as evident in his rich use of color. The gods of these native peoples are depicted in some of his work. The Kachinas, pottery and saguaros of the Southwest are some of his subjects and he has completed his first mural based upon Southwest Native American Themes. In contrast, his city scenes of Manhattan and other cities of the world reflect a strong interest in architecture and history. Presently, Matt enjoys working with gouache, pen and ink, acrylic, and mixed media. Austrian Television's Tema recently aired an interview with Matt, featuring his animal portraits. Matt is currently an active member of the Hob-Art Artists Group in Hoboken, New Jersey.

BACK