Matthew always painted but managed to distract himself with a few alternative careers – he’s worked variously as a university lecturer, copywriter, art-director, photographer & writer. His first novel was short-listed for the Australian/Vogel’s Literary Award. A cancer epiphany in his 30’s prompted his return to painting.In the last few years he has either won, or been selected as a finalist in, more than 70 major national art awards, including the Sulman Prize, the Arthur Guy, the Doug Moran, the Mosman, the Shirley Hannan, the Glover, the Paddington, the Albany, the Blake Prize Director’s Cut, the Black Swan, the Townsville, the Duke and the John Leslie. He’s had 14 solo and more than 70 group shows. Matthew was featured in BRW as one of Australia’s top 50 artists.Matthew has resided in the UK, Portugal & Malaysia and once camped out for several months underneath a grand piano. He has spent nights under stars in India, under ground in Bolivia, under surveillance in Burma and under nourished in London. His scariest moment was having machine-gun shoved in his face during Nepalese anti-monarchy riots, although crashing a para-glider into a forest was also something of a highlight.