Bold Light and Quiet Atmosphere: New England Landscapes by James Mattison

In this compelling exhibition of contemporary oil paintings, Maine fine artist James Mattison presents a vibrant collection of New England landscapes that capture the shifting light, color, and atmosphere of the region. Painted in oil on panel, works such as Blueberry Hunting, Chocorua, Honeyed Moor, Windswept, and Gone But Not Forgotten showcase Mattison’s confident use of bold color, strong linework, and dynamic composition to reinterpret familiar coastal Maine and mountain vistas. From sunlit islands and rocky shorelines to moody skies and windswept trees, these contemporary landscape paintings balance technical precision with expressive, emotionally charged color, offering collectors modern Maine art rooted in place and memory.

A self taught contemporary painter based in Portland, Maine, Mattison brings a designer’s eye and a deep sensitivity to body language, solitude, and atmosphere into both his figurative and landscape work. His paintings evoke warmth, gratitude, and quiet introspection, often transforming real locations such as Chute Island, Picnic Point, and Mount Chocorua into luminous, almost dreamlike scenes. With their vibrant palette, relatable emotional tone, and strong compositional structure, these original oil paintings reflect the evolving voice of a contemporary New England artist whose work bridges realism and expressive impressionism.