John Mattson was drawn to art at a young age, setting up his first studio in the backyard of his family home during his high school years. Inspired by Rodin he made large clay sculptures but after his first painting class he switched mediums. Mattson earned an MFA in Painting from Mills College in Oakland, California and BA and MA degrees in painting from Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. He has been an artist for over 50 years and over the years he has developed a deeply personal, visual language of his inner psyche.

In 1978 Mattson bought a camera to record his paintings and became enamored with the instrument itself and started a process that he continues to this day -- taking long walks with his camera and recording whatever attracts his eye. His photography celebrates the ironic, the whimsical, and the beauty of the mundane. He is fascinated with the random and often ephemeral results of human impact on the world.

Following the opening reception, the exhibit will be on display through June 21.