Artist Statement

I am a Scottish artist from Lerwick in Shetland (b. 1986), Recently graduated from Coventry University in 2010 with a BA in Fine Art, and since then I have been working in my studio creating paintings and small drawings.

The work in this show is all from an artist in residence that I did at Rugby Independent School, I did this at the beginning of this year. Whilst there I chose to examine the school's Natural History Collection and found the majority of it fascinating (shells, bones, insects, taxidermy). The Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) collection attracted my attention whilst browsing through the collection and I found myself being drawn towards the patterns and colours in the wings and bodies. The paintings exhibited are my informed, yet originally personal response to examining my subject matter.

The paintings are built up through many layers, using gesture and a spontaneous use of colour. Traces of previous layers still remain visible, allowing colours to interact in ways I would not generally anticipate.

My paintings are classed as abstract, but if you look closely at them you will see referencing to the world that goes beyond shape and colour. ‘Redbreast Chasing’ and ‘Hiding’ are two paintings based on a William Wordsworth poem about a robin chasing a butterfly, whilst ‘The Sunbather’ and ‘Night Owl Shivers’ are based on the ways lepidoptera raise their body temperature in order to fly.

I have had work in the Lewis Gallery in Rugby, The Public in West Bromwich I have a small show in Soho in London planned for June.

 

Matthew Macaulay will be giving an ‘ArtTalk’ about his work on Tuesday 17th May at 7pm in Gallery150