Matt Sievers has painting in his blood. His father is artist Greg Sievers, who has been participating in the Celebration of Fine Art for more than 25 years.
“I grew up painting with my dad,” Matt says. “There are five of us kids. He was eager to teach any of us that would listen, but I was the only one who enjoyed it.”
Greg never pushed Matt to paint like him. Instead, Matt depended on his dad to help him learn how to draw, the principles of warm and cool temperatures, values and color theory. And while Greg may have helped get Matt started in the beginning, the art he creates today is all his own.
Once Matt knew he’d pursue art as a career, he attended Utah State University where he was introduced to a number of different mediums and techniques. To this day he prefers using oil because of its ability to achieve beautiful brushwork, which gives off what he calls a painterly feel. These marks can lean abstract and modern, with a lot of drips, scrapes and transparencies that give his pieces character. As Matt worked toward his degree, he and Greg had the opportunity to open a gallery in Scottsdale in 2007.
“The gallery took off and I dropped out of school and its been going ever since,” Matt says. “I was always thinking I’d go back to school, but things haven’t slowed down.”
And how could things slow down when inspiration for art is never ending?
“We love traveling and I draw inspiration from really great artists,” Matt says. “Instagram and Pinterest are so inspirational and I can’t imagine the art world ever before those existed.”
Matt’s work includes landscapes and people, though he is always on the lookout for new ideas.
“Everywhere we go, I’m photographing everything,” Matt says. “The iPhone is about as good as anything else. The art world is now so fluid. To bring a plein air painting kit is the only thing that is a little bit of a hassle anymore. There’s just so much room from growth and inspiration.
Understanding what ideas and inspiration are behind the art is a draw for visitors as well as the artists in the show.
This show is so much more an experience of understanding the art to its core. Because to have a conversation with the artist about how its made, why they painted it, all thethings that influenced it, because there are so many layers of depth. That’s what’s so unique about the show. You can meet the artist and really fall in love with a painting as well as the person who painted it.
See more of Matt’s story here:
Wonderful paintings! Do you ever teach or do workshops?
I love this celebration it gives me desire to paint more when I see what others do. I am an observer. I try to see this show every year