Local Art Seen: Matthew Onan's Art of Symmetry

Last week I visited Matthew Onan's new gallery space opening. Onan is a local artist whom I met at the PROVE Gallery in 2012. He invited me to visit his home which was essentially an art project. He gave me a tour room by room and shared the ideas that lay behind each new view.

This year his small carport-sized garage has been converted into a gallery space where he can show his work in a less intrusive manner. The new space certainly has a few similarities to the home, chief of this being his interest in giving prominence to the colors red, blue, green and yellow. His title, reflected in many of the compositions as well as the gallery itself, is Species of Art. The prevailing motif in this installation is symmetry, both within the pieces themselves and in the layout of the room.

It's uncertain to me whether this will ever be shared more widely. I suspect it is more likely to be experienced by the few than the many. If you receive an invitation, you'll want to take advantage of the privilege.

Meantime, art goes on all around you, in the most surprising places and ways. Engage it.