Biography

After studying Art Foundation at Yeovil College in the mid 80's, Matthew spent a year at Parnham House, the John Makepiece school

of forestry at Hooke Park, Dorset, where he worked alongside Andy Goldsworthy and Cecil Jordan. During this time he built a valuable rapport with timber and the woodland environment, learning essential foresty and chainsaw techniques, but also a deep rooted connection and respect for wood.

Matt then spent several years studying ceramics and working with clay, - as well as being involved with the construction and firing of several large wood burning kilns, which are still in use today.

Ceramics and the dicipline of throwing clay has been a major foundation and inspiration for his work with wood. Matt's work draws inspiration not just from contemporary ceramics, but also neolithic works and the themes of growth and regrowth. The concepts of the passage of time and decay also play an important part in the process, and woods such as Elm and Oak lend themselves well to aspects such as erosion and the exposure of new forms within. 

Matthew is internationally regarded as a pioneer woodartist, and his work often challenges convention - pushing the boundaries of turning and continuing to produce unique work.

The interior/unseen elements of hollow forms are a strong focus - often bright organic colors are added to interiors to emphasize a different 'inside' mood. 'Windows' are sometimes cut into the wall of a piece to bring the mood of this character out.

Occasionally other media is incorporated into pieces, such as rope, leather or willow.

Matthew's portfolio also includes a large two-dimensional theme with wall hangings and wall sculpture. As erosion, and the exposure of different forms from the weather is a recurring theme, riverbeds, rock strata, and the movements of the sea and sand are all inspirations for these pieces. Generally only Devon hardwoods are used, mainly Beech, Sycamore, Oak, Ash or Elm.

 

Occasionaly different finishing treatments such as burning or sand blasting are used.

More recently, Matt has been concentrating on his 'Nurture' Forms - these pieces are a step on from the Egg Forms that he has been concentrating on since 1990 - The interior is again a strong focus, with either 1,2 or sometimes 3 other forms within.

Matthew's work is primarily large scale - not only does it set physical challenges, but it is in the larger pieces that a sense of the force, character, and spirit of the tree shows itself.

Matthew is also an established music composer for Film and Televison - www.caldermedia.com.

Born: 1964 - Somerset, England

Training:

1983 - 1986; Yeovil College - BTEC Art Foundation Course

1986 - 1988 Parnham House / Hooke Park Forestry Project, Dorset

1988; Full-Time Artist

Exhibitions of Note:

1993 - 1996 - Buckland Abbey (National Trust) Artist in Residence.

1991 - Marshall Arts Gallery Totnes, Devon

Dartington Glass Gallery, Devon

Music Theatre Gallery, West London

1995 - 1996 - Royal Albert Museum, Exeter

Chapel Gallery, Plymouth

1996 - 1997 - Old Barn Gallery, Sherbourne

1997 - Creative First, Oxford Street, London.

1998 - Battersea Contemporary Arts Fair, London.

1998 - Solo show, Barbican Gallery, London.

1999 - Hamburg Museum for Wood and Ceramics, Germany.

1999 - Tillett Gallery, St Thomas, American Virgin Islands.

2000. Barn Galleries, Henley on Thames.

2000 - Moving Gallery, Chiswick, London.

2000 - Barn Galleries/Henley Regatta, Henley on Thames.

2000 - Designer Arts, Gramercy Park, New York ,U S A.

2001 - Battersea Contemporary Arts, London

2002 - SOFA Arts, San Francisco, USA.

2003 thru 2006 . Affordable Arts Fair. London.

2004. Tillet Gardens Arts. St Thomas. American Virgin Islands.

2005. Media D'arte. Manhattan. New York.

2005 to 2007. Battersea Contemporary Arts / Landmark Arts, London.

2008 on. Accepting commissions only at this time.

Travel: 1994-1995 - travelling with music project, Europe

Winter 1997-Spring 1998 - travelling India and Nepal

Autumn and Winter 1998/1999 - Lecture tour of Canada and America

Winter 1999 - Lecture and Exhibition, St Thomas, America