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Matt brings a colour splash

09 Aug 2018

Artist and photographer Matt McLarty lives a life full of colour and beauty, capturing it on camera and various art mediums. Some of his latest works include giant plaster cast animals, painted in bright Resene colour, and featured in Auckland, Sydney and Perth as part of various art trails. He also lends his talents to painting up signal boxes as well as creating custom acrylic on canvas pieces. He tells us more. 

Tell us about your current work or ventures.

Currently I am working on a ‘mixed media on canvas’ project, a series of acrylic canvases representing the anonymous throng of city workers, and a series of layered print/photo images.

Signal box painted by Matt McLarty using Resene paints.

How do you incorporate Resene products and paint into your work?

Two projects I have been involved in recently were the Big Hoot (owls) in Auckland and The Big Splash (dolphins) in Perth, Australia. These were both Wild In Art events where participating artists are supplied with large blank fibre glass sculptures to paint. Resene paints are ideal for these sculptures as they meet all of the project needs – great consistency and coverage, they’re economical, have good opacity, have a huge choice of vibrant colours, are available in small quantities off the shelf (ready to go testpots), are water based and colour fast, and suitable for outdoors. 

I’m Puzzled painted by Matt McLarty using Resene paints, as part of Auckland’s Haier Big Hoot 2018.

Splash, also painted by Matt McLarty in Resene paints, for Perth’s Big Splash 2018. 

How has the style of your pieces evolved?

My work has become softer over time with more use of graduated colours, finer lines and looser interpretations in abstractions.

The Nature of Industriousness (pictured in front) by Matt McLarty for Sydney’s Taronga Zoo.

What has influenced your work?

I have a particular interest in early to mid 20th Century art such as Klee, Kandinsky and Chagall through to Georgia O’Keeffe, the Australian Boyds, and artists like Reg Mombassa.

Do you have a favourite piece?

Nature of the Industrious – this is an abstract acrylic on canvas. It is a representation of a sunset over Sydney as viewed from a train crossing the harbour bridge. That evening the sunset was a spectacular palette of red and gold and everyone on the train was captivated, glued to the windows on the west side of the carriage, phones recording the majesty of it all. It was a great leveller of the spectrum of city workers returning home at the end of the day.

And a favourite colour?

Blue, in all its guises and nuances, for all its infinite meanings and endless emotions.

See more of Matt’s art at www.mattmclartyart.com.

Published: 09 Aug 2018