Artist Spotlight: Matt Schaefer

Matt Schaefer, who is originally from Rapid City, started making art when he went to college 25 years ago. He started studying at Black Hills State University before transferring to Northern State

The show’s reception, held at the Red Rooster Coffee House, had a great turnout. Some of the pieces in Schaefer’s show displayed how different colors interacted with each other. The black-and-white pieces focused on contrast and deliberately placed brushstrokes. While the art show featured paintings only, more of Schaefer’s work in other mediums can be seen on his Instagram page. Photo courtesy of The Red Rooster.

University, where he studied abstract painting.

Over the years, Schaefer’s art has been published in magazines such as Studio Visit and Fresh Paint. His art has also been displayed in galleries across the country as well as internationally – some of his pieces were included in the “Art Out of Category” exhibition in Matera, Italy.

Schaefer’s most recent gallery was hosted in the Red Rooster, and a reception was held on January 13 this year. The event had a wonderful turnout, even with the frigid temperature that comes

with Midwestern winters.

Most of Schaefer’s paintings are acrylic on canvas, though he had worked with other mediums in the past.

“I like the process, and how different colors interact with each other,” he said. With each of his paintings, he considers other elements such as the placement of each brushstroke and the contrast between all of the colors involved. The paintings in his art show expertly displayed all of these details.

Schaefer said that he had moved around a lot both before and after attending NSU. All of his sisters attended NSU as well, so he settled down near family and continues to display his art. //

Schaefer posts his personal Facebook page as well as on Instagram @matt_schaefer_art.