Interviewee: Paul Matthews
Date of birth/age at interview: Oct. 28, 1933/51
Interviewer: Joan Stack (WBUX radio show host)
Interview date: September 30, 1985
Interview location: Conti’s Cross Key Inn, Doylestown
Interview length: 21 minutes
Time span discussed: 1970s and 1980
Summary: This radio interview introduces an art show opening Oct. 6, 1985, at the Bucks County Council for the Arts located in the Rodman House, Doylestown, PA. Paul offers insights into his creative thinking and works in between the heavy promotion of the show itself.
Time markers:
00:00 – introduction, art show dates and location
00:42 – joint show of three artist friends, Paul, painter, George Anthonisen, painter and sculptor, and Charles Wells, sculptor and printmaker
02:23 – advertisement
02:39 – known as river artist; gallery representation; this show for figure painting
04:10 – some people uncomfortable with figures because they are nudes, not idealized
05:30 – titles give clues to his thinking, often made up after the painting finished
07:08 – usually no models; paintings not designed to tell stories
08:40 – regional painter; show in Easton, PA, to promote area; hard times in city; art influence on depressed areas
11:59 – current show to promote Doylestown; importance of arts
14:16 – Charles Wells’ etchings and marble, stone, and wood carvings in show; promotion of show
15:25 – figure paintings show in 1977 in a Soho gallery; more figure shows in future
16:08 – has failures, paints over and does experiments; occasionally recognizes people in finished work; some figures composites; end product does not really look like photo he works from
19:12 – does conventional portraits, but few commissions; promotion for show
20:32 – Bucks County [in 1985] one of only two counties in Pennsylvania with arts council
20:46 – concluding remarks
