Meet Local Artist Matthew Mayes at the Opening Reception for Layers of Meaning Exhibit

The opening reception for Birmingham artist Matthews Mayes' exhibit, Layers of Meaning: Paintings by Matthew Mayes, will be held on Sunday, July 19, 2015, 2:30-5:00 p.m., in the Central Library's Boardroom adjacent to the Fourth Floor Gallery. The exhibit will be on display through September 4, 2015.

Born in Florence, Alabama, Matthew Mayes is self-taught with over 12 years of experience as a professional artist. He currently resides in Birmingham with his partner Brian and their son Noah. Mayes began painting as a child after watching the television program Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. Mayes experienced a number of stints with hospitalization and home schooling due to illness and needed an outlet for his creativity—art was his answer and it gave his life meaning

"Once, I believed that love, food, and music were the core passions that transcended all race, creed, and color. Now, I know that art encompasses all," he states. Regarding his creative process, Mayes observes, "I allow natural ability combined with a trained eye to create. Without both, my art could not exist."