On November 17th, Maxwell McMaster will be opening his next solo exhibition with SF-based First Amendment Gallery. The new series of paintings that construct Natural High is directly inspired by Joy of Life (Bonheur de Vivre) by Henri Matisse, presenting a reflection of the artist’s efforts to find peace and optimism for the future
For the last couple of years, the Los Angeles-based artist has been producing work which is regularly inspired by his native state and its diversity. Utilizing a highly graphic aesthetic, McMaster uses a particular color palette, gradients, simple shapes, and often textures to portray scenes from his travels and everyday life. Resulting from typically abstract and minimal images, these dreamy vistas are imbued with feelings of calm, quiet, and contemplation.
For this new series, McMaster stepped further into abstraction, losing many of the connecting elements to real places, creating a series of surreal images that provide a shelter from the turbulent ecosystem of our current era. Adding more expressive, imperfect touches, he created a connection between his flawless settings and human nature, continuing his efforts keep reminding us of the beauty in life.
