Dana Mattson and Bev Mattson
Dakota Art Gallery Show
October 2018
Paintings on monotype with oil based inks
All paintings framed and $950
Painting: 11" x 15"Framed: 20 1/2" x 24 1/4"
• Sold •
Good opportunities
You’ve had good opportunities
for seeing things,
and when you have trouble doing things
I will help you.
Dana:
Thank you!
Mom:
You’re welcome!
I’ll keep the world off your back
and put it on your shoulders.
Dana:
That’s it, isn’t it?
And I’m writing all this down
so when I’m troubled
I can remember
our words.
Mom:
Yes… And I’ve got a couple words
to hang on to myself,
ladders…
netting…
emergency vehicles…
and I’m going to use them soon.
Painting: 14" x 12 1/2"Framed: 23 1/2" x 21 1/4"
• Sold •
Best friend
Who is your best friend?
Dana:
I am my closest, longest friend.
Mom:
Wow . . . so it’s not simple,
it goes all the way
down.
Painting: 10 1/4" x 14 1/4"Framed: 20 1/4" x 24 1/4"
• Sold •
Where the light enters you
The poet Rumi said,
“the wound is the place
where the light enters you”.
Mom:
Then we’re going to your place.
Dana:
Where do I live?
Mom:
Spain…and there is something
we are scared to touch there.
Dana:
I’ll hold it for you
for the time being.
Mom:
Then I’ll leave you messages.
Dana:
Yes messages…how about
on little slips of paper?
Mom:
Yes I will.
I’ll write on cream cheese
and the green.
Painting: 12" x 15"Framed: 20 " x 24 "
• Sold •
Who-Who
Promise me you won’t forget
the Who-Who.
Dana:
I will never forget the Who-Who
even though I may never know
what the Who–Who
truly is.
Mom:
You’ll know when it comes to get you.
She’s going to be taking us soon
and she will come up
to your door
and let you know
I’ve gone.
Painting: 13 1/2" x 20 1/2"Framed: 21" x 29 1/4"
• Sold •
Ecstacy
I’m gone
I’m going
I’m a dead . . .
giveaway!
~Mom
Painting: 14" x 12 1/2"Framed: 20 1/2" x 24"
The door is wide open
~Mom
Painting: 12 3/4" x 15 3/4"Framed: 21 1/4" x 24 1/2"
• Sold •
Surprises
There’s always such a surprise here, And it’s good to get influence, is that the right word?
Dana:
Like feedback?
Mom:
Yes, because we don’t know how it’s going to go, although I got a couple things from the future.
Dana:
What sort of things?
Mom:
Interplay and groups of people. I send them to different places. Everyone wants to be in our group, they like how the chairs are placed. There’s a woman here holding her back, and then a bird comes and is beeping in her mouth. I stopped trying to find things and just go with it.
Dana:
If you and I just go with it, is there anything we would want to take with us?
Mom:
Make sure we have enough… words.
Dana:
I thought you were going to say enough food. surprises
Mom:
Well, one leads to the other.
Dana:
I’m going to take your word for it.
Painting: 12 " x 13"Framed: 21" x 25"
• Sold •
The comrades are coming in
Hugh people are coming here.
We are in the house
with the x-ray machine
and the ladder.
~ Mom
Painting: 12 " x 13"Framed: 21" x 25"
• Sold •
The comrades are coming in
Hugh people are coming here.
We are in the house
with the x-ray machine
and the ladder.
~ Mom
Dana and Mom get in the Basket
Dana:
Momma, I have to write an artist statement
about our show and I don’t know where to begin.
Mom:
It would help if they put some words in off the line.
Dana:
Like off the cuff?
Mom:
Exactly.
Dana:
Well, I’m not sure how to “off the cuff” here…
You choose your mother as your art collaborator
and it’s like choosing velcro…memories and images,
births, deaths, first and last recorded dreams
all come forward.
Mom:
Outta the box!
Dana:
Yes, it’s all come outta the box and it’s not
going back in. Hello… Goodbye…
Art… Family… Aging… Dementia…
Hello… Goodbye…
Mom:
Just say I’m coo-coo, everyone in my family was coo-coo.
Dana:
I am in your family…
Mom:
Well…?
Dana:
Is this the artist statement?
Mom:
Yes, you can change the words each time.
Dana:
Change the words… change the language…
could this change the way we see
and think about the world?
Mom:
Yes!
Sing to your body…
Make it up…
Do you get it?