Artist Statement
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My name is Graham Matthews. I am a 37 year old artist from a small town in Newfoundland, Canada. I grew up near the ocean (Newfoundland is an island), which is the inspiration for most of my artwork. I view the ocean, and nature in general, as beautiful, and untamed, having a personality of its own. The ocean can be calm an serene at times, and wild and untamed at others. It has also been merciless, claiming many lives. My artwork often invokes some of this moodiness and instability.
My drawings and paintings often have wild sweeping lines, undulating curves, spiraling forms, along with surreal looking landmasses. I use these various styles in combination to show movement and unruliness. Sometimes they are complex and dizzying. Many times my artworks are “escapes” from the real world, hence bordering on surreal. This is because I use the real world as a basis and distort it in such a way that seems otherworldly.
Some of my influences through the years are the Group of Seven and Tom Thompson, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Salvador Dali. I also draw my inspiration from everyone and everything around me, such as my faith,and my family. It is the people closest to me that are my greatest influences.
Most of my artwork is available and for sale. The drawings are originals and ONE OF A KIND.
You can view many of them at my Facebook gallery here : http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=29137&l=eea76&id=590176207
Each measure 9 X 12 and are in excellent condition! I am only selling them for $150 each (shipping is free in Canada).
Contact me at graham@artsspot.com if you are interested!
Join my Facebook group - Graham Matthews ART- Go With the FLOW
Biography of an Emerging Artist
Art, and specifically drawing, is something I’ve been interested in all my life. At a very early age, I can remember drawing on anything I could find. In elementary school, I looked forward to art class, and especially enjoyed sculpting forms in play-doe.
During my teenage years, I lost interest in art, for the most part. My High School did not offer art as a course. I did not return to drawing until my final year of High School. This was at a time when I was planning what I would do after graduation. Should I take the advice of my family and friends and go to university to get a degree in something that would virtually guarantee me a job? Others were going in for things like engineering, business, or a doctor. Or should I follow my heart, and talent, and attend an art school? The decision wasn’t difficult for me. But, the road I chose wasn’t an easy one.
Between unemployment and working at a full time labor job, it hasn’t been easy finding time to paint or draw, or even to promote my artwork. Many times my art had suffer because more basic needs had to be focused on. There has also been extended periods of time when I did not or could not produce any art at all. At times, it must have appeared I had given up on my art career. Getting my art out there and seen has always been a struggle for me, since the nearest gallery is hundreds of miles away. Most people where I live love my art, but this is only a small town of 900. I could never support myself and my family with just my art income alone.
Since my I’ve started going online with my art, things have been steadily getting better. I’m getting much more exposure, and my art is becoming increasingly popular. I have my art on several free gallery sites, as well as my own online art gallery at www.ArtsSpot.com .The internet is a wonderful resource for artists. Isn’t it great that a total stranger on the other side of the globe can stumble onto my artwork all because of the magic of the internet.
At the present, I’m exploring several avenues of getting my art seen. I do portrait drawings from photographs for people at a reduced price in order to get my artwork and my name known and in other people’s hands. My art is for sale. Prints of my abstract and surrealist paintings are available at online print websites. I’m actively networking with other artists on social networking sites such as Facebook and Talentdatabase.
Sometimes I look back, and I’m amazed at how far my artist career has come. My road hasn’t been an easy one but has certainly been worth it.
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