Member Profile – Matthew Kowalski

http://www.MatthewKowalskiArt.com
mattski1111@hotmail.com

I create my art using found objects as a printing medium. I get a great sense of satisfaction knowing that I am re-appropriating found objects, making my small contribution to stopping the waste running amok in our world. I use acrylics, oils, house paints, printing inks, watercolors, and pencils. I also employ multiple techniques, including brushing, sponging, printing, rubbings, reliefs, airbrushing, and just plain pouring it on. My objects have their own peculiar shapes, and I play with them to create contrast in line and forms.
 
In my current project, I add vivid airbrushed and brushed colors to the work so the printed objects appear to crawl out of the compositions. My work reflects my perspective of wonder, my desire to feel the solidity of objects, and my aspiration to create something beautiful – all qualities I never had the pleasure of experiencing in my years spent homeless on the streets of San Francisco. My art has been my mode of self-expression and mental health for more than 30 years – hence, its name, Radical Relief.