SB Art & Culture

THE ARTIST WITHIN

The following story is true, and it is unapologeti-he following story is true, and it is unapologetically biased. It is predisposed to an overwhelm-cally biased. It is predisposed to an overwhelming sense of pride, respect, and astonishment. ing sense of pride, respect, and astonishment. This is a story about perseverance, fortitude, faith, and optimism. This story is about my faith, and optimism. This story is about my amazing husband, Byron May.

It began with a twitch in his back. Actually, it was more It began with a twitch in his back. Actually, it was more than a twitch. He bent over to tie his bootlaces in preparation for a cold morning of duck hunting in south Louisi-ration for a cold morning of duck hunting in south Louisiana. Byron couldn’t stand up straight after that and after several months of nagging back pain (and a nagging wife), several months of nagging back pain (and a nagging wife), he was forced to see a doctor. With golf tournament season right around the corner, With golf tournament season right around the corner, Byron was eager to get his back in better condition. He Byron was eager to get his back in better condition. He decided on a surgical procedure that didn’t go well. Three surgeries later and he was still in pain so intense he thought he would lose his mind. He experienced depres-

sion which often accompanies chronic pain sion which often accompanies chronic pain and, in his case, a lack of golf. We knew he needed a distraction. Byron had dabbled in art in high school and his work in the printing business kept him his work in the printing business kept him in close contact with graphic design and knowledge of color and how they reacted in knowledge of color and how they reacted in the printing process. It was typical for his pressmen to mix colors on metal printing plates. He watched one of the guys mixing up a color with some interesting results. Byron began experimenting with colors us-Byron began experimenting with colors using a palette knife instead of a paint brush, left-over plates instead of stretched canvas and an unlimited imagination instead of a printed piece. It took a few chemical ad-a printed piece. It took a few chemical adjustments to the paint with lots of trial and error before he landed on a combination that pleased him. It was this recipe, that can be tweaked to obtain specific results, that makes his art unique. Bold colors are seemingly smeared across the metal to create contemporary art that is refreshingly different. Sometimes smooth in texture, other times wrinkled depending upon how the paint is mixed and sometimes a little of both in the same piece. The reaction from people when they view his art with 3-dimensional glasses is almost always the same. There is an audible gasp and then an elongated “wow!” How does this work? I like to say, “It’s mag-How does this work? I like to say, “It’s magic!” Byron is quick to correct me by explaining that the steel reflects the light and it’s the ing that the steel reflects the light and it’s the light that opens the layers of color. You can look through a pair of 3-D glasses and the entire painting changes. Each piece takes on a life of its own and can change from angle a life of its own and can change from angle to angle. No two pieces are alike and some-to angle. No two pieces are alike and sometimes, one piece can look different each time you study it anew.

Byron opened his first solo exhibition at The Gallery of Fine Arts in Louisiana in 2010, and since that time has shown his work at The Arlington Museum of Art as well as The Brunner Galleries of Louisiana in Covington, Louisiana. His art has taken us to The Oh My Goddard Gallery in Las Vegas, The Rostad Edwards Gallery in Miami, and The International Art Gallery in San Francisco. He has also been a featured artist at AO5 Gallery in Austin since 2013. In 2015, Byron got a call from an old classmate who had gone on to build office complexes in Texas. He had heard about Byron’s endeavors in the art world and loved what he saw on Byron’s website. He commissioned a large body of work for his company, the Tiet-Reit Asset Management Group. Fifteen large pieces now hang in the lobbies of One and Two Briar Lake Plaza office buildings in west Houston. He has also done many pieces for collectors’ homes. When I think back at all Byron has had to endure – the surgeries, the loss of his beloved game of golf, falling from being a competitive scratch golfer and having to sit on the sidelines for so long – so many doors closed shut for him. Most people would have just given up hope. But God had other plans and throwing in the towel is not in Byron’s makeup. A whole new world of creativity and beauty opened for him and for everyone who has had the opportunity to see his work.

shown his work at The Arlington Museum of Art as well isiana. His art has taken us to The Oh My Goddard Gallery 2013. In 2015, Byron got a call from an old classmate who had gone on to build office complexes in Texas. He had heard about Byron’s endeavors in the art world and loved what he saw on Byron’s website. He commissioned a large body of work for his company, the Tiet-Reit Asset Management Group. Fifteen large pieces now hang in the lobbies of One and Two Briar Lake Plaza office buildings in west Houston. He has also done many pieces for collectors’ homes. When I think back at all Byron has had to endure – the surgeries, the loss of his beloved game of golf, falling from being a competitive scratch golfer and having to sit on the sidelines for so long – so many doors closed shut for him. Most people would have just given up hope. But God had other plans and throwing in the towel is not in Byron’s makeup. A whole new world of creativity and beauty opened for him and for everyone who has had the opportunity to see his work.

I’ll stop bragging now and invite all of you to Byron’s I’ll stop bragging now and invite all of you to Byron’s long-awaited exhibition at Artspace in downtown long-awaited exhibition at Artspace in downtown Shreveport on Friday, August 27, from 5:30 to 9:00 PM. Shreveport on Friday, August 27, from 5:30 to 9:00 PM. “ABSTRACTIONS ON STEEL” is free. We look forward to “ABSTRACTIONS ON STEEL” is free. We look forward to meeting you there. Visit www.artspaceshreveport.com meeting you there. Visit www.artspaceshreveport.com

or www.shrevearts.org for more information on the ex-or www.shrevearts.org for more information on the exhibit. byronmayart.com hibit. byronmayart.com

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