Two long blue paper shapes pasted onto a white background. These two shapes were one before Henri Matisse cut them into two. He cut with undulating curves ... first curving down then curving up then down and back up until they became four troughs and three upward swells much like a patch of rolling sea.

“These cut shapes create silhouettes,” said artist John M.T. Seitzer of his latest exhibit at Studio 53 in Boothbay Harbor. “The ‘seemingly’ simple but very powerful design influenced me to create my own versions of ‘The Wave,’ using cut wood instead of paper. The added dimension of the wood casts shadows. After cutting away the positive shapes, that which remains is the negative. Patterns and shapes of nature simplified and repeated, a motif is created, several motifs combined and a composition is born. The Matisse cloud forms also became an artistic inspiration and influenced my designs for more cut wood paintings. Some people see them as happy clouds, cotton balls or popped popcorn. They make me smile.”

A recent opportunity to spend time in Southern France brought the artist into an area of inspiration for Matisse. Matisse lived and painted in several different locations around Nice in the region called Cote d’Azur or “Azure Sea.” Lush plants and vegetation frame this area around the Mediterranean Sea and appeared in many Matisse paintings.

Seitzer said he had seen many of these paintings by Matisse in books but seeing them in person, within reach, was truly inspirational. Botanical leaf and flower shapes were used to create borders for cut paper works done in the later years by Matisse. One of the works titled: “Decoration, Flowers and Fruit’ using painted, cut, and pasted paper is monumental in size at 13 feet by 27 feet. His final resting place is just up the hill from the Matisse Museum in Nice.

The public is invited to view the new exhibits and celebrate at the artist reception at Studio 53 Fine Art Gallery at 53 Townsend Avenue, Boothbay Harbor. The artist reception is from 5-8 pm Friday, July 6 for featured artist John M.T. Seitzer, guest artist Debra Arter and the artist collective: Terry Seaman, Heidi Seidelhuber, Bob McKay, Dick Alden, Lynne Seitzer, Paula Ragsdale, Cilla Alden and Donna Denniston. Live music will be provided by the fabulous “Tout Par Tout!”

Gallery hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and by appointment; call 207-633-2755 for more information.