In late 2021, a wildfire burned more than 300 acres of island wilderness on Isle Royale National Park. Over the course of two summers, with support of the National Park Service, Matt Kania documented the visual scars of the wildfire in plein air oil paintings and conté crayon drawings. More than 30 original works capture the remarkable appearance of a burned landscape and an environment in varying stages of recovery. Matt will share a digital presentation of his original works, give firsthand accounts of painting in a charred environment, and tell of his map making efforts to document the location of each painting and drawing in the form of an atlas.

Matt Kania is a contemporary artist from Duluth, Minnesota. Matt uses his mastery of oil painting and drawing to tell stories about our environment. His paintings are often cited for their uniqueness in subject matter and distinctive representation. As he describes, “The act of direct painting from nature allows me to be more fully engaged in my surrounding environment. Each time I paint, it gives me a greater sense of place – more so than merely observing as a passerby.”