2D Meets 3D in the 5th Dimension
Our in-house 3D artist, Matt Brophy, meets 2D painter, Randi Johns for an extraordinary exhibit. The show is closed but you can see how beautiful the gallery looked. Thank you Matt & Randi
My work is a visual amplification of the environment surrounding me in the mountains of northern SC. The ambiguities and abstractions found in reflections and textures are all subject of my fascination. What if trees were red and water purple? Only in the imagination and in art are we free to explore the “what ifs” in life and I celebrate that.
Painting has been a steady companion most of my adult life, at times as a professional doing interactive murals with a long term institutionalized patient group, sometimes providing art therapy in Yugoslavian refugee camps in Europe and sometimes as an architect toiling with architectural presentation drawings.
I practiced architecture both in United States and Denmark where I grew up. Art and architecture are intimately interrelated. I think of architecture as being functional art.
After retiring to South Carolina it has been a pleasure to indulge in painting on my own terms and is now painting exclusively for the love of art. I have taken advantage of opportunities to exhibit and sell my work in each country I have lived in for an extended period. Select exhibitions include Columbus Museum, GA, Lyn Galleria in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and at the Mexican counter part to AIA (American Institute of Architects) in Mexico City and in Denmark my murals are placed on the walls of many institutions in the ancient city of Ribe. In 2012 I received the honor of being selected as SC Artist of the Year by the magazine TOSCA of the Twin Cities.
You can follow much of my work at randijohns.com or see it in person at Gallery Main & Maxwell , Greenwood, SC.
Randi Johns
Matt Brophy, The Upstate Potter
As a child, Matt grew up in Canton Georgia and eventually moved to Connecticut where he attended middle and high school. After working as a cook locally, Matt decided to get serious about cooking and attended Johnson & Wales University where he earned a degree in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management. Matt Stayed on with Johnson and Wales University as an instructor where he met his wife Jane who was attending the Hotel Division of Johnson and Wales University.
Matt and Jane had two children and later moved to Anderson, South Carolina in 2005. Jane traveled in her job as a hotel industry executive so Matt played the key role in raising his 2
daughters. While they attended school Matt resurrected a dream of working with ceramics.
Enamored with Raku firing, Matt was inspired and mentored by local artist, Kate Krause. In 2001 Matt sold his first piece of pottery and has since gone on to win several awards in ceramics. Currently Matt is an instructor of ceramics at The Art Center of Clemson, The Artist in Residence at The Belton Center for the Arts and is in Charge of the Culinary Arts Program at Tri-County Technical College.
Please feel free to contact Matt with questions, inquiries or comments.
Matt Brophy: Cell (864)353-4662 or email: theupstatepotter@yahoo.com
