Santa Barbara, CA
Waterhouse Gallery, June 10-30
Kyle Ma, Jefferson Market, oil, 12 x 16.
This story was featured in the June 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art June 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
Kyle Ma is a Texas-based, award-winning painter in both BoldBrush and RayMar fine-art competitions. One of his paintings won an honorable mention at the Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition last year; another painting was selected as a finalist in the Art Muse Contest. He’s represented by galleries across the country and has had a number of solo exhibitions. All of this makes him special, but these achievements coupled with the fact that Ma is only 16 years old makes him incredible.
Ma brings 20 paintings to his solo exhibition at Waterhouse Gallery in Santa Barbara this month. A reception opens the show on Saturday, June 10, from 5 to 7 p.m.
“I try to stand out not just because of age but through the quality of the work,” Ma says. “I strive to be seen as one who is a mature painter in all aspects of the craft.” The high-school junior stands out, indeed; Diane Waterhouse of Waterhouse Gallery says that she didn’t realize Ma was a high-
school student when she first discovered his expressive, rich work. “He has a great sense of narrative and a keen eye for perspective,” Waterhouse says. “His paintings belie his age.” In 32 years of owning the gallery, Waterhouse says, he’s the youngest painter she’s ever represented.
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- Kyle Ma, Sunny Afternoon at the Farm, oil, 24 x 30.
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- Kyle Ma, Yellow Zinnias, oil, 9 x12.
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- Kyle Ma, Dingman’s Creek Cascades, oil, 18 x 14.
Although he doesn’t follow a strict process for his loose, impressionistic paintings, Ma generally starts with big shapes and ensures the relationships between drawing, value, and color are correct. He refines details from those shapes later and then finally evaluates the piece from an overall perspective. He says he strives to make each painting special in its own way.
The artist is still considering his college options after graduation, but Ma, who was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and moved to the United States when he was 10, knows he wants to become a full-time artist one day and work toward refining his craft. “Painting to me now is an extremely passionate experience,” he says. “I hope I can communicate with the viewer what I saw and how I feel each time I pick up a brush.” —Katie Askew
contact information
805.962.8885
www.waterhousegallery.com
This story was featured in the June 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art June 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
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