I consider myself a Formalist, and, as such, the struggle to create compositional balance is always present. The very idea of balance helps give clarity and purpose to my life as an artist. My work is a response to, and an attempt to understand, the chaotic world around me. I seek the rarity of the profound.
I have no set agenda when I start each work. I begin with a layer of paint or a structure, and from that point on, it’s all about process; making marks, applying materials, responding to each action with a reaction. I allow the work to evolve and become a visual record of the profound moments that come from dragging a nail across a painted surface that makes a sensual line, applying a small dot of paint that demands the viewer’s attention, or adding tape and glitter to convey the tactile experience of the artist.
My work is informed by the history of art, especially the Abstract Expressionists.

Matthew Hilyard

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