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In the process of creating my art I find that I understand more about myself and how I relate to the world and to those in my life. I am inspired by the subtle relationships between people, be they physical or emotional. My artwork is aimed at creating a sense of intimacy. By expressing the spirit, rather than emphasize a literal likeness, these works attempt to give the viewer a feeling of empathy and presence. My art is about the joys, sorrows, and passions that we all share in our lives.

As with accepted forms of abstract painting, depiction and representation within my work are not equivalent. So what is being expressed, be it still life, figurative, or abstract, is not what is shown; rather the viewer is asked to forgo the content, and explore the subject. The idea of conveying some deeper sensation or relationship with no words, no physical gestures, just visual metaphor, has always been my primary interest. I hope you are able see a reflection of yourself in my works.

From a very young age I have expressed myself through visual design and art. I have studied art most of my life, being attracted to any type of creative outlet. I have been most influenced by primitive tribal artists and their symbology, as well as more recent artists such as Cezanne, Calder, Oliveira, and Diebenkorn, as well as by the living artists around me who are my friends. The paintings are created as visual poems, lyrical portrayals of the people in my life, as tributes to their lives and passions, and of the world at large and it's ever changing landscapes.

Matthew Holloway, 2005

If we accept the truth that art is unity, and that what the unit is the mass may become, should we not strive, each in his sphere, whatever our main work may be, to do it worthily and well? Remembering that it is better to do a small thing well than a big thing badly, and that it is the spirit in which our work is done, not the place is may accidentally occupy, or class to which it may be belong, or the reward it may receive in the ordinary estimation, that makes it great or little.

Walter Crane
"The Bases of Design",
1898

EXHIBITS & SHOWS

2003

BIOGRAPHY

Matthew Holloway has sold work to private collectors on both the East & West coasts. He initially studied painting and fine art as an undergraduate at The Ohio State University, finishing with a degree in Industrial Design. He also holds a Masters Degree in Cognitive Systems Engineering.

Matthew is a member of the Silicon Valley Visual Arts Board of Directors. He has lectured at the Royal College of Art in London, Stanford University, The Ohio State University and most recently at  Mills College.  His studio is in Palo Alto California, where he has lived and worked for the past 10 years.