Biography
Matthew draws his inspiration from the rugged celtic coasts of Britain, Ireland and Wales, it is the raw beauty of these landscapes with their ancient history and ever changing light and weather that fuels his obsession.
A “plein air” painter for the first 10 years of his career, sketching, recording and soaking up the landscape he has developed a bold and intuitive style of painting based on emotional response, and physical engagement with the subject out on location.
Chronology
1969
Born at Heswall on the Wirral
1989
Art foundation, Withens Lane Art College
1993
Attains BA (Hons) Degree, Industrial Design
1995
Starts painting full time
Selected Biography
1999
First major solo exhibition, Community Gallery, Clwyd Theatre, Cymru, North Wales
2000
British Watercolour Society (Group exhibition) Yorkshire
Solo exhibition, Hanover Gallery, Liverpool
Solo exhibition, Clwyd Theatre, Cymru, North Wales
2001
Solo exhibition, Clwyd Theatre, Cymru, North Wales
Solo exhibition, Magenta Gallery, Wirral
2002
Solo exhibition, Clwyd Theatre, Cymru, North Wales
RCA (Summer exhibition), Royal Cambrian Academy
RI (Annual exhibition), Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, Mall Galleries, London
RSMA (Annual exhibition), Royal Society of Marine Artists, Mall Galleries, London
Solo exhibition, Dee Fine Arts, Wirral
Williamson Art Gallery (Spring exhibition)
2003
RCA (Summer exhibition), Royal Cambrian Academy, Conway, North Wales
Solo exhibition, Clwyd Theatre, Cymru, North Wales
RWS (Challenge for Watercolour in the Twentry-first Century), Royal Watercolour Society, Bankside Gallery, London
Solo exhibition, Dee Fine Arts, Wirral
2004
“The Spirit of the Lleyn”, Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, Arts Centre, Llanbedrog Gwynedd
Solo exhibition, Dee Fine Arts, Wirral
Williamson Art Gallery (Spring exhibition)
2005
Solo exhibition, Clwyd Theatre, Cymru, North Wales
Curzon Global Finance (Invited by RI), Mayfair, London
RI (Annual exhibition), Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, Mall Galleries, London
RCA (Open exhibitions), Royal Cambrian Academy, Conway, North Wales
Solo exhibition, Dee Fine Arts, wirral
2006
RI (Annual exhibition), Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, Mall Galleries, London
‘The Spirit of the Lleyn’, Oriel plas Glyn-y-Weddw,Arts Centre,Llanbedrog Gwynedd
WSA (Wirral Society of Arts) National Open Art Exhibition, Williamson Art Gallery and Museum. First prize winner (joint). and elected to membership
Solo exhibition, Dee Fine Arts, Wirral
2007
Prize winner(permanent collection) ,Williamson Art Gallery and Museum ,Wirral Spring Exhibition
Maureen Hinchcliff Award , WSA Wirral Society of Arts Annual Exhibtion, Williamson Art Gallery and Museum.
Solo exhibition, Dee Fine Arts, Wirral
2008
RCA (Open exhibition), Royal Cambrian Acadamy, Conway, North Wales.
WSA (National Open exhibition), Wirral Society of Arts , Williamson Art Gallery and Museum
Gorstella Gallery (Spring exhibition), Chester
Williamson Art Gallery (Spring exhibition)
2009
Tegfryn Gallery, Summer Exhibition, Anglesey
Solo exhibition, Galeri Betws-y-Coed, North Wales
Oriel Kyffin Williams (Drawing Prize), Anglesey
Williamson Art Gallery (Spring exhibition)
2010
Gorstella Gallery (Three man show), Chester
Entry into 34th Edition of Who’s Who in Art (Hillmarton Manor Press)
Oriel Tegfryn Gallery, Summer Exhibition
Galeri Betws-y-coed, Summer Exhibition
Collections
Matthew has work in many private and corporate collections as far a field as America, China, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand.