"Currents" Painting

Mat Macready grew up in Avoca Beach on the NSW Central Coast of Australia. Being a coastal town, the beach and the culture that surrounds it became a huge influence on his life. He recalls learning to draw waves at around five years old, a theme that would quietly shape the direction of his creative life.

He later found his way into graphic design, a natural extension of that early curiosity. His work in design has taken him through the surf, fashion, and music industries, refining a visual language grounded in movement, form, and energy.

His painting practice draws heavily from personal experience in nature. While the ocean remains a central thread, elements of beach culture weave throughout the work, alongside an increasing presence of native trees and surreal, landscape-like forms. Though often abstract, his pieces carry a strong sense of place, with an ongoing exploration of the environments that continue to shape both his perspective and process.

An intuitive approach to sustainability has also become part of his practice. Macready builds many of his own frames using salvaged building materials, often sourced from construction offcuts and discarded timber around his local area. Drawn to the character of aged wood, including its patina, markings, and imperfections, these materials bring a sense of history into each piece. This contrast between refined composition and raw, weathered texture adds another layer to the work, grounding it in both material and place.