Maxwell Roath was born in Denver, CO in 1989. He received his BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2012 and his MFA from the New York Academy of Art in 2020. He studied at the Ryder Studio, Santa Fe, NM in 2021, and he completed the Printers Training Program at the Tamarind Institute Albuquerque, NM, in 2022. Roath’s work has been the subject of one-person exhibitions at venues such as Art Gym, Denver, CO (2023). His work has been included in group exhibitions such as Ink, Press, Repeat: National Juried Printmaking and Book Art Exhibition, William Paterson University Galleries, Wayne, NJ (2023); Five Points Gallery, Juried Exhibition, Five Points Gallery, Torrington, CT (2021); Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, London, UK (2020); Megalo Intaglio Online Exhibition, Megalo Print Studio + Gallery, Kingston, Australia (2020); 4th NY International Miniature Print Exhibition, Manhattan Graphics Center, NY (2019); Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop Member Show, The Elizabeth Foundation of the Arts, New York, NY (2019); and Published by the Artist, International Print Center New York, NY (2019). Roath’s work is included in the Albuquerque Public Art Collection. He lives in Denver, CO.
Roath's artwork focuses on the dreamlike qualities of existence, and the innate sense of humor and nostalgia that is present in the human experience. His pieces' are constructed using compositional elements from the Renaissance, while his color choices and energetic settings are influenced by the Impressionists. Using himself, friends, hybrid creatures, interstellar monoliths, and personal effects, Maxwell explores his unique past. In doing so, a parallel narrative to his life is created, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. His work uses paintings, drawings, and printmaking as tools to investigate this overlap, leading the viewer into an alternate universe. His art evokes longing, self reflection, and alludes to a world grappling with impermanence, manifesting surreal moments in everyday occurrences.