Nat Meade

"Sneaker"

"Plaid Pantry"

"Tarp" work on paper

"Catch"

"Lamplight"

Nat Meade's paintings work on at least two levels. On one they are simple but symbolically & psychologically loaded scenes (like a minimalist amalgam of René Magritte and Edward Hopper). They draw us in with cryptic references and multiple potential meanings. Any one of them could work as an illustration suitable to multiple essays and articles covering wildly divergent topics and conflicting points of view. The simplicity of the images keeps their interpretation highly flexible without lessening their appeal. On the other level they are arresting studies of design, hue and value, their abstract qualities almost as important as their representational ones. This fact seems to be further emphasized by the artist, as his work has progressed from more tightly rendered older paintings to quicker simpler ones more recently. He often returns to certain motifs (like the man who is too large for the room in which he stands in "Sneaker") to explore different stylistic approaches or sometimes just different combinations of color and/or pattern. Sizes are not given but it appears that many of the newer pieces are probably quite small, which emphasizes the simplicity and sometimes a looser approach. The best, to my mind, seem to find a middle ground where hard edges and loose brushwork can seem both at odds and complimentary at the same time. At any rate the simplicity of the work is deceptive for they are carefully crafted and many will no doubt linger in your mind long after you see them. And you can see more at his website: www.natmeade.com or at Froelick Gallery (which, lucky for me is right here in my own hometown of Portland OR).