Steephill Cove Painting

Matthew mainly works with palette knives to create his signature impasto paintings. Introducing thick layers and peaks of paint and gesso add another dimension, build depth and atmosphere into his work. This process then enables him to visually capture light and dark through his highly textured surfaces. These manipulated qualities allow the work to be more than just abstracted scenic paintings. His aim is to evoke intense emotion and memories to somewhere that is simultaneously familiar and distant to the viewer. Painting places that he has a strong personal bond with or new encounters whilst travelling, Matthew uses art to explore change in land and seascapes: considering how natural textures, changes in the weather and seasons can create a feeling of something beautifully delicate one minute, and then wild and uncontrollable the next. A fleeting mood and moment in time. He uses palette knives and brushes to add an expressive element to his free flowing and intuitive work. Born and still living in Kent, Matthew captures his local surroundings as well as coastal scenes in the Isle of Wight, Cornwall, the Lake District, and beyond as frequent subjects, which he often sketches plein- air or photographically records for reference back in his studio. “Texture has always been the most integral component to my work, and I enjoy freely evolving this through the layering of wide-ranging materials I use to achieve the mood of each painting. I create primarily in acrylic but combine this with a variety of other media such as heavy gesso, mediums, glazes, resins, and alcohol inks. The most exciting part of my process is the manipulation of detailed areas as they emerge. Layering up before gently sanding back and then building up again in colour. Scratching and manipulating into the surface, working with palette knives and a variety of drawing implements as well as brushes to create the desired impact through my mark-making.”