Matusiak says that making art has saved her throughout her life; making art is how she copes with the anguish and difficulties while learning about the lessons they have to offer; it’s also the way she celebrates the wonder of life and the many blessings it has to offer.
Matusiak says of her newest work : “Turning once again to the easel I’ve discovered a new voice. While the vast majority of my work over the decades has been figurative or landscape work, now I’m delving into abstraction. This first series explores movement, both physical and psychological. It is truly a transformation of my thought process of creating. Time and heavenly bodies are cyclic in nature, moving in orbital patterns. It is even written in the spiral of our DNA. Working on paper and canvas, strokes are created using the arm, not the wrist. I layer the marks, building up the surface to create depth within the movement. It’s a very satisfying mode of expression and allows me the freedom I’m seeking.”
With wisdom of age in hand, and her strong background in drawing and painting, she has returned to making 2-D art, with a series of works concerning the environment and social issues. Since the late 70’s she’s been an advocate of the Gaia Theory, a scientific theory that the Earth is one living organism. As such all life is interdependent and she believes that understanding that concept and acting upon it in a responsible way is crucial to the survival of our species and all others. The Dreamscapes paintings celebrate life on Earth and include elements of symbolism, the subconscious and magic realism.
Matusiak says that during this tumultuous year of 2020, she has also felt compelled to make art that responds to her time. It comes as a surprise to her to find herself making images of a political nature. A new mixed media drawing depicts the intersect of the Pandemic, the BLM movement, and the uprising of White Supremacy and Fascism that she is witnessing in America and around the globe. One of her recent sketches most clearly expresses how she has felt during this year of Covid. It is of a horse standing upon her chest as she gazes out at the viewer in anguish. According to Matusiak, making art has always saved her from life’s many difficulties.
Her art is included in over 25 corporate collections including Del Mar College’s Permanent Drawing Collection.
JURIED EXHIBITIONS of PAINTINGs & DRAWINGS
“Birth Of the Cosmos” is featured in the Nov. 2023 issue of Beyond Words Literary Magazine
“All the Feels” Art St. Louis 2022
“Cyclic” a charcoal drawing published in Feb. 2022 issue of Beyond Words Literary Magazine
“True Blue” Online juried exhibit Art Fluent 2021
“Dreamlife” Virtual juried exhibit Art St. Louis 2021
“Maturity and Its Muse: Celebrating Artistic Experience 2021” Art St. Louis 2021
Central South Art Exhibition Nashville, TN 1994
Art Experience Gallery 100, Cape Girardeau, MO 1992
Fifteenth Biennial Michiana Show South Bend, IN 1988 Painting Award
22nd Annual Drawing & Sculpture Show Del Mar College, TX 1988
Del Mar College Permanent Collection Purchase Award
Kenneth and Dorothy Holmes Purchase Award
Illinois State Fair Professional Exhibition 1987-1988
The Artist’s Magazine Floral Competition Semi-Finalist 1986
INVITATIONAL (Partial List)
Inspired by Architecture Group Show Rendlake Marketplace, Whittington, IL 2013
Ancient Echoes 2 Person Show The Gallery Space Murphysboro, IL 2007
Center of Contemporary Art “Clockworks” St. Louis, MO 1999
del Mano Gallery “It’s About Time” Pasadena, CA 1997
L. Freud Gallery “Time is Relative” Birmingham, AL 1997
Showcase Artist Illinois Artisans Shop Chicago, Il March 1999
“One of A Kind” Artworks Gallery Peoria, IL 1994
“Double Vision” Two Woman Show Gallery 510, Decatur, IL 1993
Solo Show “The Women in My Life” John A Logan College Carterville, Il 1991
Solo Show “Recent Work” Rend Lake College Learning Resource Center 1992
“Furniture As an Art Form” Associated Artists Gallery Carbondale, IL 1990
Fine Arts Competitive Exhibit (F.A.C.E.) Carbondale, IL 1990
“Unspoken Voices” 3-woman show 300 Gallery, Bloomington, IL 1989
Gallery Group Show, 300 Gallery Bloomington, IL 1988
Marymount College Salinas, Kansas Group Invitational 1988
Arc Gallery Group Show, “15 Years-15 Walls” Chicago, IL 1988
Presentation “Art and Religion” Theosocratic Society, Millikin University Decatur, IL 1988
Presentation “Mythology and Art” Unitarian Church Decatur, IL 1988
PUBLICATIONS
Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Oct 2021, published image of Breath of Life
Art & Beyond Summer 2014
Gulf Coast South News FL Wed January 9, 2008
The Southern Illinoisan December 18, 2001
Heartland News Carbondale, IL October 2007
The News-Press Naples, FL Jan 12, 2007
Belleville News Democrat May 15, 2004
Nashville Banner June 10, 1997
Tampa Bay Times December 6, 1997
The World of Wood “In Honor of the Tree” August 1995
The Living Museum IL State Museum Vol 57 #3 Fall 1995
Chicago Tribune Sunday April 2, 1995
The Milaukee Journal Sunday August 27, 1989
New Art Examiner October 1988
CORPORATE COLLECTIONS
PERIODONTICS, LTD Sunset Hills, MO
JOHN DEERE COLLECTION Madison, WI
THE BOEING COMPANY St. Louis, MO Leadership Center–4 pieces
GENERAL ELECTRIC–SCHLEIFRING, Elgin, IL
STRYKER Kalamazoo, MI Corporate Headquarters
BERKOWITZ LEFKOVITS ISOM & KUSHNER, Birmingham, AL Law Firm
CAP GEMINI ERNST & YOUNG Clayton, MO 2 pieces
GENERAL TIRE Corporation Mt Vernon, IL Technology Center
SIGNET Memphis, TN Corporate Headquarters
HEWITT Chicago, IL Corporate Headquarters
METRIS COMPANIES Minn, MN Corporate Headquarters
DEL MAR COLLEGE Corpus Christi, TX Permanent Collection
EISCHEN FINANCIAL GROUP Columbus, OH
BRONZE CONSTRUCTION Memphis, TN
KENT KEHR & ASSOCIATES St. Louis, MO
MOONFISH Orlando, FL
NEIL LOCKE & ASSOCIATES Itasca, IL Hotel Procurement
BARCELONA APARTMENTS Skokie, IL
OLD NATIONAL BANK Belleville, IL
NOVAR Akron, OH
GREENLEAF TRUST Kalamazoo, MI
JOST CHEMICAL St. Louis, MO
THOMPSON & SCHREIBER, PA Fort Meyers, FL
CITY OF BUFFALO GROVE Buffalo Grove, IL
ULRICH VETERINARY CLINIC Dongola, IL
PROPERTY MARK REAL ESTATE SOLUTIONS Cinn., OH
JURIED EXHIBITIONS Of Mixed Media Sculpture (partial list)
Old Town Art Fair, Chicago, IL 2003-8, 2015-18
St Louis Art Fair Clayton, MO 2004, 2018
Palm Beach Contemporary West Palm Beach, FL 2017
Krasl Art Fair St. Joseph, MI 2017
Ann Arbor Original Ann Arbor, MI 2015-16
Armonk Outdoor Art Fair Armonk, NY 2015,16
Coconut Grove Art Fair Miami, FL 1999 & 2001-2011, 2014,16
Des Moines Arts Des Moines, IA 2016, 2018
Canton Museum National Art Show Canton, OH 2010-11
Naples National Naples, FL 2000-1, 2016
Palm Beach Fine Craft West Palm Beach, Fl 2013-14
Washington Fine Craft Washington, DC 2013
Westchester Fine Craft White Plains, NY2012-13
American Craft Council Baltimore, MD 1997, 2012, 2015 St. Paul, MN 1997-8-9, 2013,15 Atlanta 2017-18, Tampa, Charlotte 1997
Buffalo Grove Invitational Buffalo Grove, IL 2013 Outstanding Achievement Award and Purchase Award for City of Buffalo Grove Permanent Collection
Riverfest Art Fair Memphis, TN 2012-17 Best of Sculpture 2016
Port Clinton Art Fair Highland Park, IL 1996-2007, 2013, 2018 Merit Award Sculpture 2013,
1st Place Award 3-DNF ‘97 ‘99 Merit Award Sculpture
Bonita Springs National Art Festival Bonita Springs 2001-2008, 2010-11, 2013 Second Place in Sculpture
Art Expo Solo NYC,NY, 2011
Uptown Art Fair Minneapolis, Mn 1995-2000, 2005-7, 2018
Summerfair Cincinnati, OH 2nd Place Sculpture 2006 & 2007, Honorable Mention 2005 1999 & 2000 ,2nd Place
Jewish Arts Fest of Dallas Tx 2011
Austin Festival of the Arts Austin TX 2002, 2015
Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Winter Park, FL 2003, 2005-06
Art on the Square Belleville, IL 2003-05,07
Plaza Art Fair Kansas City, MO 1999, 2004
State Street Area Art Fair Ann Arbor, MI 2000-2004, 2012
Laumeier Contemporary Art Fair St. Louis, MO 2001-2, 2004
Cherry Creek Arts Festival Denver, CO 2001
Sausalito Arts Festival, Sausalito, CA 2001
Austin Festival of the Arts Austin TX 2002, 2015
Scottsdale Museum Arts Scottsdale, AZ 2001
Naples National Art Fair Naples, Fl 2000 & 2001
Peoria Fine Art Fair Peoria, IL 2002 & 2006, 2012 2nd Place 3-D 2002
Magic City Art Fair Birmingham, AL 2001 Award of Merit & Collectors Purchase Award
Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival TX 2001
Gasparilla Festival of the Arts Tampa, FL 1999 & 2000
CWE Art Fair St Louis, MO Award Winner 1998
New Eastside Art Works Chicago, IL 1997
Affaire in the Gardens Beverly Hills, CA Spring & Fall 1995 2nd Place Award
Lakefront Festival of the Arts Milaukee Art Museum, WI 1995