matt harvey art
Portrait paintings, art demonstrations, figurative painting, landscapes
about and contact
I graduated from Wimbledon School of Art in London after studying Fine Art, Sculpture. I developed my practice and continued to work on the art of portrait painting. I became increasingly interested in renaissance and baroque painting techniques, and had the opportunity to study under James Scrace, a pupil of Pietro Annigone’s, who taught me the techniques of masters such as Velasquez, and Caravaggio.
I continue to use these techniques in my oil portraits, gaining commissions from a wide variety of clients.
I am interested in the optical effects of painting in oil. In my portraits I use the ‘grisaille’ method, painting in a monotone and then building up layers of glaze. Here the optical effect happens when light passes through each glaze like through a stained glass window, giving a luminous quality to the portraits. My landscape paintings explore optical effects using a pointillist style, where the painting is built up from many small marks of pure colour.
I have filmed my painting technique in real time and show the process of painting these glazes, to provide inspiration and instruction to artists learning this technique.
My paintings give the impression that the painting and the sitter are illuminated from within. Each person has a beautiful inner life that is evoked through this magical method of glazing oil paints. I am interested in paintings that express rhythm and music through gesture and pose and how contrapposto expresses the balance and harmony inherent in cosmic life. I see people as universes in themselves, microcosms whose uniqueness is a priceless jewel.
As well as painting in oils I also make detailed pencil drawings, sculpt bronze portraits and carve portraits directly in marble. The above themes are present in all these works and in the way I treat all these mediums. The marble I use is sourced in the famous Carrara mountains in Italy, the same marble as used by sculptors such as Michelangelo during the renaissance.
Please contact me on the commission a portrait page to discuss commissioning a portrait of your loved one.