Watching The Lion Painting

Konar's work is both light and dark in subject, approaching at every turn both the whimsical and the mischievous. He uses the canvas as a stage to capture moments of love and heroism, as well as times of human folly. His characters come from real life, from songs, from poems and from stories. All the stories take place under a starry sky with the drama of the constellations. Unexpected details are presented through the book on a shelf, the image in a mirror, the wallpaper pattern, an individual leaf, and many other visual gestures waiting to be unlocked by the viewer. His technique of using glaze upon glaze creates colors that are deep, rich and vibrant. There is a profound sense of mystery, nuance, symbolism and timelessness in the scenes he depicts. Of his process Konar says, "I work mostly in oils and the progress of each work is slow and sometimes tedious - my oils are built with glaze upon glaze, and detail upon detail. For me technique and investment of time are always subservient to achieving the final effect in the painting. I'm driven by and find my greatest satisfaction in what I create as a final work and not the process." Other artists have dubbed him "the storyteller" and have said that his paintings "speak to the soul". Matt & his wife Denise presently enjoy living in Grants Pass, Oregon where they enjoy visits from their children and grandchildren, and being in the midst of God's great northwest creation. 'Jesus in Blue Jeans' was awarded Best of Show in PlacerArts 30th Jubilee 2013 Open Juried Show. 'Ship of Fools' was also in the show.