I have always had great appreciation for my natural surroundings. I love the raw, ever changing natural beauty surrounding me and often find myself returning to the same spots time and again. However, the way the painting is executed holds more value to me than the subject. I believe the manner in which the paint is handled should be a novelty for the viewer in and of itself.

I use exaggerated colours and employ several different painting methods in a single work in an attempt to achieve this end result. The canvas is my first point of inspiration. A blank canvas is exciting to me. It is full of possibilities. Then the subject matter and an arsenal of painting techniques is my second point of inspiration.

The painting process itself is an organic experience. Often I am not fully sure of where a painting is going until I stare at a blank canvas or after I have started to paint. When I do start with a particular direction, it usually takes a sharp turn in a different direction. In the end I think it is raw gut feeling and passion that completes a work.

-Matthew Collins, 2024