Matthew Parker: An Appreciation

Matthew Parker: An Appreciation

An artist on his work and living with cancer

By Michele Banks

Matthew Parker is one of my best art buddies. We met almost 20 years ago when we were festival neighbors, and we’ve set up at dozens of DC-area events since then. Matt makes intricate hand-cut collages of hundreds of photos that he takes of landmarks, neighborhoods, sporting events and more, capturing familiar places in a unique way.

Matthew Parker

When he started to make photo collages, Matt drew upon his background as an architect. He credits the curriculum at The University of Tennessee School of Architecture with teaching him to understand a place through “observing, sketching, and looking at the landscape.” His first collages of Washington landmarks included a 2001 study of the Capitol building, photographed on multiple days over three months, in many different lights.

He tries to convey what he calls “the poetics of space” by observing a place over time -  days, months, or even years - and bringing together multiple perspectives in a single image. His favorite collages use the motif of light as a throughline. He explains that this 2006 piece, Rush Hour, came about when he was photographing sunsets from the DC side of the Memorial Bridge, reveling in the beauty of the light even as drivers raced by, oblivious. Matt used long exposures to create images of horizontal streaks of light from the cars’ brake lights, echoing the patterns of the sunset.

For a more recent collage of the Jefferson Memorial, Matt photographed the frozen tidal basin in December, capturing the pink and purple tones of the wintry sky, and then again in March and April, when the cherry blossoms were blooming in similar shades. Finally, he collaged the images into a harmonious whole.

For years, Matt has worked hard at both architecture and art, exhibiting at festivals and enjoying road trips with his wife LeaAlice and their two young sons. His life took an unexpected turn in 2018, when Matt was diagnosed with male breast cancer (MBC). He was understandably shocked by the news: less than 1% of breast cancer cases occur in men. Even his experienced oncology team admitted that they had seen only a handful of cases of MBC in their careers.

Scheduled to begin chemotherapy in October 2018, he asked to delay a few days so he could show his work at Art on the Avenue, his favorite art and craft show in Alexandria, VA. His doctors were surprised, “but they respected that,” he says, and they encouraged him to continue making art as he underwent treatment.

Following chemo, surgery, and radiation, Matt’s cancer was in remission by June 2019. Unfortunately, it came roaring back, and in February 2021 he was given a diagnosis of Stage IV cancer: treatable, but no longer curable. For the next two years, Matt was on a regimen of oral chemotherapy, which he describes as “popping a pill once a day, basically living normally” to try to keep the cancer at bay.

Matt’s cancer recurred more aggressively last fall, spreading to his brain, spine and bones, and since then, he has been in what he calls “serious chemo,” which has left him with very little energy, at times unable to walk. He began a course of whole-brain radiation last week.

Now, at age 47 and facing a daunting prognosis, Matt is still making art, whenever he has the energy. “I have a gift of this art that I can do,” he says, “and I rely on it as a coping mechanism.” While he has taken periodic breaks from showing art during treatment, he always goes back, noting that “connecting with customers has been huge – it’s beautiful to hear that people love your work.” He notes that the planning that goes into a festival or exhibition takes his mind off cancer.

“The art has been this thing that helps me to be normal again. I’m going to keep going until I can’t.”

You can find prints of Matt Parker’s photo collages at Locally Crafted in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and on Etsy.

In case you forgot

 

Michael Janis to create the Ward 5 Public Art Memorial

Honoring the Unseen Builders of Democracy: Join the First Community Presentation for DC's Ward 5 Public Art Memorial

Post by Chip Montague.

In a historic move to acknowledge and honor the invaluable contributions of enslaved individuals who helped build the U.S. Capitol, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH), in collaboration with the DC Office of Planning (OP), has selected DC Michael Janis to create the Ward 5 Public Art Memorial. This significant project aims to shed light on the often overlooked role of over 200 enslaved people whose labor laid the foundation for one of the most iconic symbols of democracy.

Date: June 22, 2024

Time: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Location: Landon Park Recreation Center, 2901 20th St NE, Washington, DC 20018

Janis, Co-Director of the Washington Glass School (WGS), has been actively engaging with the DC Ward 5 community to ensure that the memorial resonates with the local residents and accurately reflects the historical significance and human stories behind the Capitol’s construction. This community-centered approach underscores the importance of collective memory and inclusivity in public art.

The upcoming community presentation on June 22nd at the Landon Park Recreation Center will provide a platform for Ward 5 residents to view and discuss the proposed design for the memorial. This event is not only a preview of the memorial but also an invitation for the community to contribute their voices to this landmark project.

The memorial aims to be a poignant reminder of the systemic racism and exploitation that have marred American history, while also celebrating the resilience and enduring legacy of those who were enslaved. Situated in the nation’s capital, this tribute will join the ranks of many other monuments and memorials, enriching the narrative with stories of those who have been historically marginalized. As the Nation’s capital, monuments and commemorative works have typically been focused on or reserved for commemoration to individuals or subjects of national importance within the monumental core, the original L’Enfant City, and mostly in Wards 1, 2, 3, and 6. Many of these subjects participated in slavery, systemic racism, and the mistreatment of, or took actions that suppressed equality for, persons of color, certain groups of people, and women.

DC's Commemorative Works Program reviews proposals submitted by sponsors, but since the program was established in 2001 has received only a handful of applications for local subjects. OP's Commemorate DC work includes technical assistance to community partners in Wards 4, 5, 7, and 8 to identify commemorative subjects and sites before supporting efforts in Wards 1, 2, 3, and 6. The Office of Planning's partners are convening meetings with community groups and residents to discuss subjects to commemorate, appropriate sites, and concept designs of commemorative works. Concept designs will be reviewed by the Commemorative Works Committee who will make a recommendation on each proposal to the Mayor and District Council, who have final review and approval. A link to the 4 initial Commemorative projects here.

The DC Public Art Memorial is more than a work of art; it is a symbol of reconciliation, education, and recognition. It will invite all visitors to reflect on the past and encourage ongoing dialogue about equality and justice.

DC's Commemorative Works Program. 

Join Michael Janis, the DC CAH & OP along with the Ward 5 community on June 22nd to witness the unveiling of a project that seeks to honor the past and inspire a future of inclusivity and acknowledgment. This is a n important occasion for Washington, DC, and for the nation, as we begin this transformative initiative. 

More images and lots more info on Michael Janis's historic project here: http://washingtonglassschool.com/wgs-michael-janis-selected-as-artist-to-create-new-washington-dc-memorial

Wolverine Campello

That somewhat scary dude is me, probably in a photo booth in Times Square around when I was 15 or 16... looking remarkably Wolverinish with those giant sideburns! 

Lume Deodorant ads: please stop!

I get between 4-8 Lume Deodorant spam emails a days from multiple sites... I am curious which part of the algorithm triggered that fucking equation? Unless with all the AI stuff, my phone, or Alexa, or my laptop can smell my pits?

Another fair model

 Free to a Good Home: Artists Launch a New Fair to Clear Unsold Works From Their Studios

https://news.artnet.com/market/zero-art-fair-2485911

This weekend in Reston: The Tephra Fine Arts Festival!

I'll be in booth 626 at the Tephra Fine Arts Festival in the Reston Town Center this weekend!

I checked out all their artists online, and here are my top picks, which I will confirm on Saturday!

I liked Lauren deSerres' art (she's in booth 925) - she notes that she "is a mixed media painter who creates whimsical imagery of nature and animals to create stories addressing the human experience and our impact on the world." 

Ning Lee in booth 909 is a wondrous landscape painter.

Matthew Miller in booth 510 is easily the best trompe l'oeil painter in the outdoor fine arts field - his work is simply spectacular and he'd be my Best in Show winner at any show!

"Pamplemousse" 12"x9" Oil on panel by Matthew Miller

Kristin Moger's highly sophisticated animal-themed work is also notable (in booth 935)! She writes:

My meticulously patterned ink art reflects my love of nature, biology, geology, art history, ethnic art from around the world and textiles. I notice patterns in everything, from grande to microscopic. I harken back to these loves as I draw my joy and compassion-infused art.