Matt Herring – The Beauty of Nature
South London artist Matt Herring’s wealth of experience in the art world is captured within every minute detail of his stunning portraiture work. Bringing together gorgeous female figures with the natural world seamlessly, his pieces are bold and beautiful; he manages to effortlessly tie together Victorian illustrative elements with floral embellishments, and even the occasional tattoo! A whirlwind of old and new, traditional and modern, his artwork has brought him fame around the globe, and his status continues to grow in the contemporary art world today.
With over 20 years working as an artist, Matt has certainly achieved numerous career highlights over the past couple of decades; from collaborating with Nike and Vogue (to name just a few of the notable brands he’s partnered), to being commissioned to create a custom piece of art for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee – with the said piece sitting between works by Tracey Emin and Banksy at the London Museum of Brands, no less!
Perhaps it’s the innate fluidity of Matt’s work that has caught the imagination of so many critics and collectors: speaking of his creative process, he says, “I usually start with a clear vision of what I want to make, but it often evolves into something quite different, revealing itself through the creative process.” This dynamic quality perfectly reflects the natural themes embedded in his portraits, represented by birds, branches and leaves – like the environment, his art is constantly shifting, growing and adapting, taking on a life of its own.
Having this tie to the natural world within each piece is important to Matt, with one of his aims being to bring the outside world in; he believes that being close to nature is “good for the soul”.
The other significant aspect of Matt’s mixed media work is the incorporation of exclusively female subjects. Combining the delicate magic of nature with a divine female presence seems a purposeful and fitting choice, portraying an entwined ideal of beauty, both sensual and spiritual in some essence. He depicts this energy through the interesting juxtaposition of vintage botanical iconography and modern avant-garde compositions, adding another layer of intrigue to each piece.
At once serene yet powerful (and slightly surreal), Matt Herring’s artwork is truly unique, and fascinating to behold. Matt’s latest signed Limited Edition prints are now available to view in the Gallery or visit his collection page here.
