B.A. (Hons) Degree

Matthew was born in Heswall and studied an art foundation course locally at Withens Lane Art College (Wirral Metropolitan College) Over fourteen years ago he made the decision to become a full-time artist.

A "plein air" (in the open air) painter for the first 10 years of his career, sketching, recording and soaking up the landscape, Matthew has developed a bold and intuitive style of painting based on emotional response and physical engagement with the subject on location.

Matthew's large watercolours are inspired by the changing light, weather and atmosphere of his native coastline, the Dee Estuary. He is very intense and dedicated in the way he works a perfectionist from foundation to completion of his pictures, he has to have total concentration on his pictures often working non stop until he feels satisfied with the painting in front of him.

In 2006 he won joint first prize at WSA (Wirral Society of Arts) National Open Art Exhibition, Williamson Art Gallery and Museum. His paintings have been exhibited with the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour (RI), the Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA), the Royal Cambrian Academy (RCA) and the Royal Watercolour Society. In addition, he has had over 15 solo exhibitions both here and abroad. His paintings are also in private and corporate collections as far afield as America, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand.