The title of Mattie's show, "Judgement Day", comes from the story in Revelations prophesying God coming to collect his followers and punishing all other sinners to a miserable eternity of fire and brimstone. Sounds lovely right? This collection of artwork is the result of reflection and deconstruction, specifically reflecting on the ways the artist'sindoctrination into the fundamentalist church, southern culture, and  purity culture affects her relationships and identity.

 

Mattie's paintings are the way she processes her changing outlook on the world and the imperfection of her relationships, whether they are platonic, familial, or romantic. These works are also inspired by her written work, which you can read next to each painting.

 

Her photography is hazy and nostalgic, and often shows the joy of everyday life with a touch of grittiness. reflecting on her summers at home. She contrasts the aggressive and cold evangelical imagery with the vivid and warm nature of the tight-knit and dependent relationships that form when living inside a bubble, something that both the church and southern culture do very well.

 

Her artworks are an visual interpretation of what unlearning and relearning look like, and she hopes that they allow the viewer to discover something on their own, whether it is a higher power or something within.