WHO: Matthew Mendez, 35

MEDIUM: Paint

BEST KNOWN FOR: Grids. Mendez explores color, human cognition and the connection between the personal and the universal with brightly colored grids evoking cellular growth. “The lines are less borders or barriers than arteries allowing communication,” he says. Mendez plays with the process of visual perception and the optical illusions that often arise from viewing intersecting lines. Inspired by art nouveau and stained glass, he's interested in the essential components of color. “I like stretching the limit of implied color, how we see color,” he says.

PAYING THE BILLS: Mendez verifies reports at Harcourt Assessment, an educational testing company.

PHILOSOPHY: He paints in a style he calls “constructivism,” which is expressive and positive in nature, emphasizing the unity and interrelation of the subject. He's also strongly influenced by Eastern and South Asian concepts and techniques, including Chinese calligraphy and Hindu mythology.

CHECK HIM OUT: His solo show, "The Life of an Idea,” is up at the Gas Gallery, 2222 N. St. Mary's St. (at Josephine Street), through May. Call (210) 452-0386 or click on contemporaryartsa.com.
 
Jessica Belasco | 210SA contributor