Matthew, 29, is a nationally recognized artist who has turned his art into advocacy for LGBT organizations. Matthew’s work can be found in national retailer CB2 (by Crate & Barrel), and has been featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, HGTV’s Divine Design with Candice Olson and CBS’ The Early Show.
Matthew has donated more than $100,000 worth of original artwork, and has painted live at LGBT events to raise funds for organizations including the Human Rights Campaign, Test Positive Aware Network, Chicago House, Center on Halsted and Equality Illinois. He soon took his passion for equality and talents outside of Chicago by traveling to fundraisers across the country, such as Telluride Aids Benefit, GLAAD and the HRC in New York, Boston and Denver.
Matthew’s mixed-media work fuses paint and photography, creating a diverse range of pieces for everyone from the first-time buyer to the seasoned collector. He recently earned recognition as one of the The Advocate magazine’s “Forty Under Forty” and “Best Emerging Artist 2009” by the Chicago Reader.
Did you know? Matthew lived in Spain for three years, and hiked 500 miles along the Camino de Santiago in Spain with his mother.