Andy grew up in Moss Side Manchester in the 1970's and 1980's and has always been interested in Art from a very early age and has produced his Moss Side nostalgia collection which was sold to a private collector. He has good and bad memories of Moss Side and has made life long friends here. Manchester is in his heart and soul and he is a proud Mancunian.
Andy a Manchester based artist, was also employed in the textile design industry reproducing accurate, fine quality, hand painted artwork for many years. He reproduced artwork for all the leading textile companies in the UK. He then undertook a B.A.Hons Textile Degree at Manchester Metropolitan University graduating in 1999.
He has produced many design pieces inspired by flora and fauna throughout his career and has widened his knowledge in other areas. His subject matter is varied and he has produced watercolours, gouache, acrylic and mixed media artworks over many years which have shown his virtuosity in differing styles.
He has produced children’s illustrated books which have been inspired by his daughter’s love of reading and was determined to produce them for her education and enjoyment.
Andy has produced commissioned artworks of still life, landscapes, portraits and has sold artwork to companies and private collectors.
Andy has put emphasis on the use of dark and light in his city scapes giving a modern urban feel and depth to the artwork. Andy has developed his own unique style of painting inspired by L.S Lowry's characters using loose free flowing brush strokes and palette knife and ink allowing the characters in the paintings to evolve from the paint.
Andy has recently completed his cities of the world collection, Salford Quays and Manchester by night collection all depicting skylines at night.
Andy will be continuing with his cityscape collections concentrating on vibrant Manchester and London scenes, he will also explore and produce impressionistic, themes from still life to nude abstraction with the main focus on linear marks, balance and colour.
Andy likes the works of L.S Lowry, Michelangelo, William Morris, Picasso and Salvador Dali. Vincent Van Gogh and :-
Oasis The Masterplan. Lowry.
https://youtu.be/dPPi2D6GK7A
John Clease Truth
https://www.facebook.com/thejohncleese/videos/586579685568675/?t=1
Andrew Alan Matthews Artistic Statement
Michelangelo and all the great masters have strived to achieve perfection, this is an unachievable goal. My art is not perfection, there is beauty in imperfection, with a slip of a brush, palette knife and ink can lead to a happy artistic outcome.
My artwork is heavily inspired by artist L.S. Lowry and I often create characters, through inking, which evolves from the paint thus bringing them to life.
In the past I strove to achieve photo quality art which I now consider the training ground for the art I produce today.
I have evolved my art today to be expressionistic/impressionistic and free flowing which, for me, is a relaxing way to paint whilst helping with my stress.
I produce art and video stories of people, places and social issues and try to bring positivity to people through my art, which I call turning negatives to positives.
My Motto is BEE positive.