Meet Matt Wolcott: a versatile and talented Ohio-based classically trained, yet modern painter. His work, no matter what medium he chooses, can only be described as nothing short of sheer genius. Matt’s art is all about the constant strive for originality, creativity, and expression. His paintings usually feature mixed media and an interesting slew of materials: Matt is an artist who does not fear exploration and innovation. Matt’s exceptional approach to art, with his interesting choice of materials and flare, is a pleasure to observe. He is an artist who does not fear change or modernism. He understands how to pay great attention to detail when it comes to creating art. The effort and time that Matt puts into every one of his paintings are unbelievable. He has a full mind of ideas and self-expressions like no other. He is an artist in every sense of the word. He is extremely driven and motivated in creating and using an artistic eye in all that he sets his mind to.

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Fresh off the great success of Artomatic 419! Visual artist, Matt Wolcott is showing two exhibits in the near future. The first is in Columbus, where he continued his art education several years ago. And the second is at Leso Gallery in Toledo: “Progression” and “Persistence” are their titles, respectively. Matt studied painting and drawing at The Ohio State University, and currently works and resides in Columbus ,OH. He attended the university of Toledo majoring in art with a focus in sculpture. In 2001, Matt transferred to The Ohio State University and changed his studied from 3-D to 2-D, majoring in painting and drawing and studying under Alan Crockett, Pheoris West, Stephan Pentak, Pamela Frasier, and Lynn Umlauf. He kept a studio on the eastside of Columbus and worked as a cook from 2005-08. When he returned to the Toledo area he continued to produce work but did not exhibit publicly for five years. In 2013, Matt began to show his work in multiple locations across the state Ohio. Currently, he lives and keeps a studio in Columbus, Ohio and is represented by the Hudson Gallery in Toledo, and the Marcia Evans Gallery in Columbus. Matt has been creating and displaying his paintings and drawings professionally since 2003. His first exhibition was a group show at Skylab, in Columbus Ohio; in 2004, I exhibited at the Warehouse Gallery in Columbus; he was part of a select Ohio art league and the Roy G Biv exhibitions in 2008; and I had a one-man show at Stuaf’s in Grandview, Ohio the same year. In Toledo, he participated in the 2009 art walks, and the 2013 Artomatic 419!, where he served on the Visual Arts Committee.

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“I start with a mark; I try to allow it to come naturally. My references are my every day; the graffiti I see, the cars and billboards I drive by, the comic books of my youth, the movies I watch, the music I listen to, and fragments from the paintings I see. I have no idea what the final image will be, I do have an aesthetic that I am striving for. I am not trying to create something new, I’m trying to create the unknown I simply; paint and stare, paint and stare, paint and stare, paint and stare, and paint. My paintings are a culmination of idea after idea, success, failure, struggle, and arrival all presented to the viewer on a piece of canvas. The experience of the paintings creation, of being a painter, is my subject matter.”- Matt Walcott

Matt has also had a one-man show called “Progression” at the Sean Christopher gallery in Columbus’ Short North arts district. He is also part of a two-man show called “Persistence” at Leso Gallery in Toledo with fellow abstract artist Laura Makar. He owes this show to the volunteering aspect of Artomatic 419. Matt was working the registration table with Brad Scherzer. Through a series of studio visits, email tag, and an introduction to the gallery owners Adam Soboleski and Amber LeFever at Sam Barton’s opening reception, he was offered the opportunity to show with Laura. Continuing to make paintings ten years after graduating art school is what Matt considers to be his biggest success. Being an artist is hard and he used to think that he had to sell work to be successful. But the more he grew as an artist, the more he realized that as long as he is still creating, he is a success by default. Matt draws a lot of his inspiration from hip-hop culture, comic books, advertising, and especially street graffiti. He especially loves tagged up trains and dumpsters.

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The contemporary art world is vibrant and booming like never before and it’s a twenty-first-century phenomenon, a global industry in its own right. Contemporary Artists seek the power to astonish, satisfy and challenge: the legend of Matt Wolcott’s artwork achieves all of these things. He showcases art that the public may not ordinarily have access to outside of a large urban environment within a welcoming, creative, and inspirational platform. He is as much a skilled professional as a truly unforgettable and capable human being. As time goes on Matt will continue to delve deeper into the world of art by utilizing a wide range of mediums and taking an intimate approach to art direction and design. He will continue to build his brand and develop more designs and artwork. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what he accomplishes next!

Visit his website: http://www.millworksart.com/matt-wolcott.html

Follow him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattwolcottpaintings/

About The Author

Sara Nardea is no stranger to the art world, selling her own paintings and curating exhibitions -- from pop art to abstraction and now to art journalism, she is bringing her New York success to the up-and-coming Miami scene. Sara is now a contributing writer and editor at L'Etage Magazine.

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