Matt’s Biography
Matt has been a practicing artist and teacher for the last 20 years. He earned a Master’s degree in Fine Art from West Texas A&M University May of 2014. His Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art was awarded by San Jose State University in 1997. In addition to an artist and teacher, Matt is also a world traveler, and has had the pleasure of traveling to six continents. From Scandinavia to South Africa, Curacao to Antarctica, the beauty of the world has been an inspiration for his work.
Matt began his professional art career in Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak Community College where he managed a state of the art multimedia facility. He taught there, as well as at Clovis Community College, Eastern New Mexico University, West Texas A&M University, and Amarillo College. During this time, Matt learned new skills and produced art using a variety of media and techniques including: glass, clay, wood, steel, aluminum, and leather; working, casting, blowing, machining, tanning, fletching, carving, slumping, throwing and polishing; as well as drawing, painting, drafting, digital art and electronic music and video production.
“When planning my work, along with the concept and design, I establish a central emotion or mood for the piece so that I can maintain a consistent vision throughout the creation process. Once I start the process of creating an object, I enter a dreamlike state in which my mind wonders and my emotions fluctuate. In this state, I can listen to the material and determine what it might want to look like if it had a choice. Also, I let the process, itself, direct the work and allow the piece to evolve as I am creating. In a sense, my work is a collaboration between myself, the process and the material. The results of this collaboration are sometimes unexpected but always exciting.”
Matt believes that helping and teaching others is the greatest pursuit one can have. As much as he desires to create artwork for sale to the public, his greatest wish is to spend my time helping others achieve their present goals and identify new possibilities.
Matt says he is blessed to work as an artist and is supported by a loving wife and two wonderful children.