MATTHEW HANSEL
Matthew was born in Janesville, Wisconsin in 1967 and is currently residing in Antioch, Tennessee. He obtained a B.F.A. at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) with an emphasis in Graphic Design, Fine Art, and Computer Art. This was long before art departments across the nation would accept computers as an art medium. His influences run the gamut from fine artists like Dali, Bosch, Magritte to comic artists like Crumb, Miller, & Sim, to underground artists such as Robert Williams, Mark Ryden, Todd Schorr, Chris Marrs, and even Ed “Big Daddy” Roth.
Matthew moved to Las Vegas and began a career of 11 years at Westwood Studios; an interactive entertainment software development company. There he was given the opportunity to study a great deal of 3D and 2D art software. From this knowledge he developed his own unique brand of surrealism in a three dimensional world. Matthew is a emerging artist with a great potential to become a master in realm of surrealism.
Artist Statement
I can explain where I was coming from in the creating of my work, but like all of my imagery, I like for the viewer to make up their own minds as to what each painting means to them. I don’t enjoy interpreting my own art for the most part – I know what it means to me, but I am fascinated by the fact that viewers come up with different meanings or explanations that I never saw, or even thought of. Like a person who continuously sings the lyrics to a song incorrectly, and yet blissfully – I want them to be able to stay in the blissful state without being corrected. Each painting IS what it means to the viewer, not to myself, and I would like to forever encourage that. It is their “truth” that I am interested in with my works, not my own. I deal with my own every day. It is this interaction between the artist and the viewer that I find very invaluable to my whole process of creation, as understanding people’s different interpretations fuels me to continue to do more interesting work, and vice versa.
Bibliography
2004
Digital printings published in “Digital Art for the 21st Century” by John Grant and Audre Vysniauskas.
2003
Digital painting used for magazine cover for Albedo Issue #29, Ireland’s magazine of sci-fi, fantasy & horror.
Featured artist of the week on 3dtotal website, and the Renderosity webite.
Contributing artist with digital paintings for “The Best of Renderosity 2003 DVD”.