“Once Upon A Time”
Transparent watercolor on paper
41 in. x 29.5 in.
About the Artist:
I’ve been creating art for as long as I can remember, and always knew that I was going to be an artist “when I grew up.” Raised in the rural landscape of Maryland, my aesthetic in art was honed from an early age. The natural world was inspiring to me, as were the stacks of book my mom would bring home from the library. I pored over the works of great American Illustrators: Norman Rockwell, NC Wyeth, and Howard Pyle.
I think this is where my interest in Narrative imagery started. As a figurative painter, I enjoy a hint of mystery or the thread of an untold story in my work. This is something that has stuck with me as I’ve developed as an artist.
I’m also a great admirer of 19th century academic painting. Artists like Bouguereau and Bouveret were able to express our shared humanity in incredibly poignant images. Whether it be complex and profound, or subtle and sentimental, I want to capture some of that in my work.
My medium of choice is transparent watercolor, which may be a little unusual for someone who has been so influenced by the great oil painters of the classical tradition. But I love the properties of watercolor and the way it captures light. Edgar Whitney said, “White paper showing through a transparent wash is the closest approximation to light in all the media, and light is the loveliest thing that exists.”
I tend to agree.
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See more work at matthewbird.com
And go behind the scenes via Instagram: _matthewbird_ and Facebook: Matthew Bird Studio
