Madera hosts Matt Beyrer exhibition in November
The artist uses fire and transparent oils on wooden panels, revealing that painting is only 30 percent of the total labor.
By Riya Zhao ·
Madera in New York City will host a new exhibition of Matt Beyrer’s work this November.
The show marks the second installment of Grain & Gesture, a series curated by Niall Brandon and organized by Luxury Atelier by Avalon Ashley Bellos. Park West Gallery serves as the sponsor for the program.
Beyrer paints directly on wooden panels, a technique that references medieval Italian altarpieces. In the 1920s, Max Ernst used a similar approach to texture with frottage, rubbing pencils over textured surfaces to find hidden images. Beyrer’s method differs in that he uses transparent oil paints to layer scenes over the wood’s natural grain, allowing the physical texture to remain visible beneath the illusion of depth.
The artist’s process involves a specific technical breakthrough inspired by his grandfather, John. As a boy, Beyrer helped make wooden reindeer that his grandfather scorched with a torch. Years later, Beyrer applied this technique to his own work. By using a torch and then a white wash, he created a paler ground that retained the definition of the wood while allowing for a wider palette.
Beyrer notes that the actual painting accounts for only about 30 percent of the total work. The remaining 70 percent involves obtaining the wood, cutting it, preparing the surface, finishing the piece, documenting the work, and shipping it. He trained in illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design and cites the influence of Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and J. C. Leyendecker on his use of light and brushwork.
In June 2022, Beyrer entered recovery from addiction, divorce, and emotional turmoil. He credits faith and the twelve steps for helping him manage his past. “The pain of holding on was greater than the fear of letting go,” he said. This period of personal change has influenced his artistic approach, which he describes as requiring patience and respect for the material.
The transparent nature of his medium creates a strict constraint on error. Beyrer can deepen colors or intensify shadows, but lightening an area is difficult. An opaque correction risks hiding the wood grain he intends to preserve. “There are no second takes,” he said, emphasizing that each mark must serve the emerging image.
The exhibition aims to place Beyrer’s practice at the forefront of the local art scene. The program seeks to draw attention to how the materials surrounding us shape our imaginative lives. Beyrer has stated that he hopes viewers will find peace in his paintings, mirroring the peace he finds in the act of making them. He describes his goal as giving another person a place to lay something down, however briefly.
