"Courtney’s Belly Button Ring" Painting

Born and raised in California, the artist Matthew Betancourt (1989) has been drawing and painting for as long as he can remember. - He recalls a pivotal moment from his childhood when drawing his family cat: the realisation and astonishment that he had the power to portray the world around him. Since that moment, the process of portraying the world through painting and drawing has been central to his life. The same childlike curiosity and a determination to master his medium continue to drive his practice to this day. - His approach to self learning - trial and error, comparison and analysis - echoes his interest in science (he graduated with a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering in 2017). In the same year, the self-taught artist won the Santa Maria Utility Box Contest. It was after winning the contest that painting went from being an obsessive hobby to a passionate full-time pursuit. - Matthew moved to Norway in 2017 and lives with his two daughters in Bergen. In his studio in the historic centre of Bryggen, he dedicates his time to developing his artistic skills. He draws inspiration from Rembrandt and Odd Nerdrum, two artists unafraid to explore different artistic territories to discover their own paths forward. - Portraiture and figure painting are his passions in the studio, where passersby sit and enable him to refine and develop his painting techniques. Outside of the studio, his MiniTins series captures the places where he finds most peace.