Biography​

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“As I dip the brush into paint and then onto canvas, the painting’s future is unknown, unforeseen. I begin to make marks on the canvas and these marks eventually relate to others. As these foundational marks settle, I become increasingly unsettled with an anxiousness that arises brought on by the anticipation of the developing piece. As I work through this, a frenzied period emerges which in result is my greatest joy. My intent is rarely to send messages through my work but what is important is that my artwork conveys energy, creativity, beauty and soul.”​​

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Hailing from the South Side of Chicago and born in 1959, painter Rodney Madison is a bold artist with few artistic boundaries. From an early age, Madison was immersed in the arts. His parents--acclaimed artist Reginald Madison and Rita Marie Williamson-Madison-Harris, a retired banker-- believed deeply in the importance of exposing him and his sister to museums, galleries, concerts and poetry, which would later shape the foundation of his work. ​

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After living for several years in Europe, the Madison family settled in the Berkshires, where they joined an artist's colony, and later relocated to Connecticut. Madison recalls his upbringing as one surrounded by an eclectic mix of hippies, artists, and musicians. His parents were avid lovers of jazz and introduced him to the legends of the genre. The music and culture that surrounded his upbringing continue to be a driving force in his work. His work focuses on themes such as identity, relationships, and the soundscapes of our world--drawing on personal memory and rhythm to explore how we relate to one another and the environments we inhabit.

 

Madison's work is collected by numerous private collections and institutions. In addition to his life as an artist, Madison holds a Mater's Degree in Education and has spent many years assisting the next generation of artists.