One Year. One Hundred Paintings.
Matthew Hildebrandt
May 29- June 17
Opening Reception: May 29, 5 - 7pm

Matthew Hildebrandt:

I wasn't trying to paint a hundred paintings in a year. It just happened that way.

Truthfully, I just really, really, really like painting and making art. There is really nothing else that I would rather spend my time and energy on.

When I begin a new piece, I often think to myself, “Let's make the most kick-ass beautiful art the whole damn world has ever seen!” For me, in that creative moment, it is. The letting go into this great stream of creativity, the outpouring of love and heart. The endless combinations of colour and form. The infinite space on an empty canvas. All the little deaths and births and hiccups and stumblings and overcomings and joys. This is the most beautiful thing, and I love it.

So last year, I painted 100 paintings. I painted anything that came to mind. I painted people, landscapes, animals, old buildings, erotic dreams, nude figures, renditions of old historic photos of cool-looking people, memories, and a bunch of modern portraits of some of the many beautiful people in my life.

There was a great freedom in painting like this. I felt like I could paint anything and everything; there was nothing out of bounds, nothing I could not do or try. There is so much joy in this. Just letting myself wander and try, without any thought of what the end goal might be.

Like swimming in the ocean with infinite lung capacity.

I painted 100 paintings in the past year, not because I was trying to. I just really love to paint.