Between the real and the imagined, Celso Mathias' art constructs territories where memory,
Affection, observation, and invention are in constant dialogue.
BOATS FROM URCA
Boats are more than just vessels: they become floating silences and memories anchored on the water. "Boats of Urca" brings together live drawings by Celso Mathias, captured the instant his gaze meets the sea and his line decides to linger. In the Urca neighborhood, where the city slows down and the horizon opens up in light and breath, each vessel becomes a character. They invite us to slow down and navigate through minimalist landscapes that reveal depth, presence, and poetry.
STORE
Here, each painting is born from the union of technique, sensitivity, and more than four decades dedicated to art.
The works feature landscapes, seascapes, boats, urban scenes, icons, and more, developed in different mediums such as oil, gouache, watercolor, and acrylic.
Each work carries its own identity — strokes, colors, and atmospheres that seek to transform spaces and evoke emotions.
VIDEOS
The Canal Vídeo – Pinturas em Gouache collection brings together demonstrative and informative content dedicated exclusively to the world of gouache painting. Created by Celso Mathias, the channel aims to share knowledge, techniques, materials, practical tips, and experiences accumulated over decades of artistic work and teaching.
WHEN THE BOATS REST
There is a moment at sea that few observe: when the wind dies down, the sails loosen, and the boats rest as if breathing. It is in this interval—between departure and return—that these images are born.
PAINTING AND DRAWING COURSES
In-person & Online
The Importance of Taking Painting and Drawing Courses: In-Person or Online
Learning to paint or draw is an enriching journey that goes beyond technique—it's a form of expression, self-discovery, and connection with art. Whether in person or online, painting courses offer a valuable opportunity for artistic development. In a face-to-face setting, students benefit from direct interaction with classmates and teachers, sensory experiences with materials, and the collective energy of the studio. Online courses offer the flexibility to learn at one's own pace, with comfort and autonomy, as well as continuous access to content. Both modalities have their value and can transform the creative process into something accessible, inspiring, and deeply rewarding.
"A city was written in the sea."
Carlos Drummond de Andrade
The "Illustrated Copacabana" project emerged in 2004, when I moved to this famous neighborhood, affectionately called "The Little Princess of the Sea," and where I could...
to find rich material for my paintings.
SKETCH GALLERY
Sketches — Quick Impressions of Life
Drawings made live, in motion, or from images that capture moments and atmospheres: people on the subway, scenes from everyday life, boats in Urca, and memories transformed into lines. A gallery of spontaneous observations, where each line carries the rhythm of the gaze and of the city.
ART CATALOGUE
This collection brings together a selection of works that reflect different moments in Celso Mathias' artistic journey, built over decades of dedication to painting, drawing, and visual expression. Each work presents a combination of technique, sensitivity, and poetic interpretation of the world.
Among landscapes, seascapes, figures, imaginary compositions, and visual studies, the catalog reveals the thematic and aesthetic diversity present in his artistic production. Using techniques such as oil, gouache, watercolor, acrylic, and drawing, the works move between the real and the symbolic, inviting the observer to contemplation and imagination.
More than just a collection of images, this anthology represents experiences, memories, and perceptions transformed into art through line and color.
THE ARTIST
Celso Mathias is a visual artist, illustrator, painter, and literary author with over four decades dedicated to creation. Born and residing in Rio de Janeiro, he has built a career where image and narrative go hand in hand: his paintings, drawings, and books are born from the same impulse.
To explore the visible and the invisible.
REINTERPRETATIONS OF THE CLASSICS
CARTOONS
In this series, Celso Mathias transforms classic Hanna-Barbera characters into epic compositions, full of color, movement, and drama. The playful universe of cartoons gains a new dimension as it is reinterpreted with fantastic aesthetics, monumental creatures, and scenarios of almost mythical intensity. Each work is an encounter between nostalgia and free imagination, where childhood adventure is reborn in the form of grand and surprising paintings.
The Art of Celso Mathias – 44 years of worlds, techniques, and infinite imagination.
For over four decades, Celso Mathias has been building visual universes that transcend styles and borders. It is from this perspective that his Dream Worlds are born, where fantastical creatures, improbable scenarios, and symbolic atmospheres invite the audience to go beyond the visible and enter the realm of dreams.
