Matthew Sansom
Matthew's artwork expresses themes drawn from Plein air, still life, and figurative studies, drawing and alla prima brush work being at the foundation of his painting and printmaking practice. Responding to nature and light is a constant theme in his image-making.
After training in Art and Design - Geelong TAFE, (1993) he lived in country Victoria, where he was involved in community theater, set and costume design for dance, and pantomime. In 1996 he moved to Melbourne to work with the Chandrabhanu dance company as an assistant to Geoffrey Goldie. 1998-2000), during this time of exposure to theater, costume, and stage design he produced a collection of paintings and drawings, for the Brunswick Art Collective. These formative years set the foundation for his artistry.
After 4 years of living in the UK and Europe, he was introduced to plein-air painting through the Devon Painter Guild which consolidated his love for landscape and botanical interpretation. In 2004 he returned to Australia to further his creative portfolio.
Matthew has had four solo exhibitions locally and abroad and launched a showroom/exhibition space.
Currently living in the Northern Rivers of NSW, his artwork can be viewed at - Galleon Bangalow - where he curates both retrospective and new works.
Born 1974.
Ballarat, Victoria Australia.
Solo Exhibitions
'ULYSSUS GARDEN'
La Ventana, Adliya, Kingdom of Bahrain,
March, 2016
NUAGES
Byron Bay, Australia
March 2018
CLOSE TO HOME
Gallery 3
Byron Bay, Australia
April 2021
WINTER LIGHT
The Lobby
Byron Bay
September 2021
Group Exhibitions
2022 Birds Gallery 3 Byron Bay. Kitchen Blue bird.
2021 D'Arcy Doyle awards, Mudgeeraba QLD. Looking back at Broken heads.
2021 Birds, Gallery 3. The Raven, Spotted peafowl, Plover on Teal.
2020 Hurford Hardwood portrait prize, Lismore Regional Gallery. 'Fashioned from Clay'
2020 Border Art Prize, Tweed Heads National Gallery, 'Resilience'
2019 Gallery 7 prize. Byron Bay. 'Woebegone Raven'
2018 Boarder Art Prize, Tweed River National Gallery. Reclining Shoreline.
2017 Lethbridge 10 000, Brisbane. 'Tallow Wood'
2016 Border Art Prize . Tweed Regional Gallery, Qld. Woompoo Fruit Dove
2016 Ocean Shores art Expo. ‘Banksia Branch’ and ‘Honeysuckle hill’
2016 Byron Bay Art Expo, Byron Community center. ‘Olive Oriole’
2014 Caldera art Expo, Tweed River National Gallery. ‘Coucal Pheasant at sunrise’
2013 Northern Rivers Portrait Awards. Lismore Regional Gallery. Portrait of George C Weir.
2009 Caldera Art Expo. The Center Beaudesert. ‘Closed Forest of the Caldera’
Awards and Prizes
2019 Second place, Ocean Shores Art Expo, Grass trees at Dawn.
2018 Second place, Ocean Shores Art Expo, Bridge over Tallow creek.
2017 Third place, Fruits gallery, Lismore. 'Reclining shoreline"
2017 Third place (acrylics and oils) Ocean Shores Art Expo, "Tallow Wood".
2016 First prize (Acrylic and oils) Ocean Shores art Expo. ‘Banksia Branch’
2012 Second place (Acrylics and oils) 'A Moonlit Summers Night'. Ocean Shores Art Expo.
2009 First place, Caldera Art Expo 'Closed Forests of the Caldera’. Beaudesert Regional Gallery.
Bibliography
2013 Nature series published by Blue Island Press, in gift cards.
2015 Artworks and artists statement featured in editorial 'Acrylic Sachet Mixte Themes' France.
2017 The Zoc publishing house. Images and artist statement. Indiana USA.
2023 Northern rivers Times, image and artist statement. NSW Australia.