Matthew Forrest
Graphic Arts; Media Arts; Multi Arts; Visual Arts: Graphic Arts, Illustration, Media and Visual Communications, Mixed Media, Murals, New Media/Technology, Painting, Performance Art, Printmaking, Sculpture, Works on paper
I am a multidisciplinary artist. My art can take the form of painting, printmaking, collage, drawing, digital illustration, and animation; it often combines mediums. My style is heavily influenced by pop art, psychedelia, and my background in graphic design. Much of my work utilizes recognizable pop culture icons to create a visually appealing image and an instant connection to the viewer. It is also not uncommon to find rainbows, stars, flowers, and other nods to the psychedelic experience or preternatural.
Themes common to my work include pop culture, flawed heroes, substance abuse, greed, violence, trauma, death, and healing. I know that art cannot cure all of the world’s problems, but I think it is important to make an effort, so I hope that by engaging with my art, the viewer will question their own relationships with these subjects. Although there are myriad issues that can be addressed through art, I have chosen these concepts for their relevance to my own life experiences.