Portrait of a local artist

Barbara Salsberg Mathews captures the beauty of Guelph on canvas

The submissions we received for this special arts issue from Gryphons and Guelphites demonstrated the creative talent that thrives within our community. The submissions from Barbara Salsberg Mathews, a University of Guelph alumna of the fine arts program (1983), particularly exemplified the beauty of the Royal City. It is a beauty that those of us who have lived here for a while may overlook merely because we’ve become accustomed to it. Barbara’s work reminds us to take a moment, to look around us, and to rediscover the beauty of the place we call home.

The Ontarion spoke to Barbara to discuss her solo painting show, which will be exhibited at Silence from Oct. 2 to 27, 2019, and to get some insight into her life as an artist.

Mirali Almaula: You returned to U of G last year as a mature student. Now you are taking a break from classes to work on a solo painting show. Can you share a bit about when you first attended U of G and what made you return to Guelph in your retirement?

Barbara Salsberg Mathews: I went to U of G in 1981 after completing a four-year certificate from Ontario College of Art (now OCADU). While in Guelph I met my husband, Bruce Mathews. He was a DJ at the Bullring, which was then a dance hall. (These days Bruce hosts a CFRU radio show on Sundays at 6:30 p.m. called Zombie Jamboree.) Over the years I kept in touch with my Guelph friends and I liked the slower pace of life here compared to my previous hometown of Toronto. So when Bruce and I retired we returned to Guelph.

MA: You studied art and then taught as well. What made you pursue the arts? What was your earliest memory of being captivated by it?  

BSM: I remember drawing all over my parents’ furniture as a toddler. I drew before I could talk. I sold drawings of ‘exotic’ girls to the boys in grade school before getting caught by the teacher. I switched to a more respectable art form, drawing portraits. And because I love theatre, I wove mask and puppet-making into my then mime company’s productions. As a teenager I wrote and illustrated two children’s books that were published by Annick Press.

MA: Who are some artists or movements that influence your work?

BSM: I’ve been influenced as an illustrator by Ralph Steadman’s and Barbara Klunder’s energetic drawings that have attitude. As a painter I’m inspired by Maggie Taylor’s weaving of old and new imagery with computer graphics to create strange new worlds. I also love how Group of Seven member Tom Thomson used layers of raw, thick, vibrant paint in his works. In addition, I admire traditional painterly styles such as John Sargent and Johannes Vermeer, particularly their use of light and attention to detail.

MA: You are currently working on a series of paintings that are inspired by Guelph. What inspired you to create this series?

BSM: After retiring as Head of Art at Toronto District School Board’s Northern S.S. and moving from busy downtown Toronto back to Guelph, I was able to slow down. I walk a lot and keep noticing the day to day beautiful views all around me. For two years I’ve been photographing these scenes. Then I realized translating all this beauty into paintings would be my tribute to our Royal City.

MA: What sorts of painting techniques are you using in these works?

BSM: These works are painted in acrylics. Some have mixed media woven in to them. I collect textured objects, such as dried grass and ferns, to add to the work for interest. When I taught drawing and painting I told my students to use anything and everything as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone or anything. So sometimes I put sand, mustard seeds, or modeling paste on the surface of the canvas to enhance the textures. When I start a painting, I often apply a vibrant colour over the canvas, then add layers of various hues, and finally glazes to reveal the composition. In the planning stages of my paintings I use Photoshop. I often recycle sky images I’ve collected, replacing the ‘real’ sky with the new and improved version. Some painted examples of this can be seen in The Gryphon of Guelph and Basilica of Our Lady.

BSM: We have a very vibrant art scene in Guelph. There’s so much talent, both at U of G and in our whole community. Our annual Guelph Studio Tour is most inspiring with the range of art forms and quality of works. I’m also impressed by the variety and quality of art shown in places such as at the Art Gallery of Guelph, Silence, and the Renann Isaacs Gallery. There could be more full-time gallery spaces to show and promote local artists, and I am hopeful this will come.

MA: For a student or someone new to painting, what advice can you give them?

BSM: Keep a small sketchbook with you and draw wherever you go. I find with painting the best thing to do is to chip away at trying to paint real things and imagined things. And also to see lots of different art. If time permits, it helps to take workshops and courses in painting, learning tips through hands-on experience with an expert’s feedback.

To help my own students over the years I’d use both structured assignments coupled with more open-ended ones, trying to engage both sides of the brain. It helps to break things down to simple baby steps to reduce anxiety and build confidence. For example, when teaching shading I’d tell my students about the ‘1, 2, 3 Method’ — one being the lightest tones, two the mid-tones, and three the darkest tones. I’d have students blur their vision to notice the high contrasts between very light and dark when looking at their subject.

MA: What do you say to those who believe art isn’t a lucrative field to pursue?

BSM: It is tough to make a living solely from one’s art. There are the top few artists who do make a lucrative living, but for the rest of us it helps to have multiple sources of income to support one’s artistic calling. Many artists teach, sell prints of their original paintings, and take on other lines of work. To me, life is not about how much money you can make, because you can’t take it with you. For me, it’s okay having ‘enough,’ and making art out of love, interest, and joy. Perhaps when we go, we can leave the world a shade more beautiful — through our art.

MA: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

BSM: I find painting very relaxing. It helps me make sense of the world by slowing down my mind and noticing the beauty around me. It also connects me to our world, by reinterpreting it into art.

To read more about Barbara and see samples of her work visit: http://salsbergmathews.com.

Photos and videos by Alora Griffiths/The Ontarion