BIOGRAPHY
Matthew Holden Bates was born in Washington, D.C. in 1970 in an artistic family in a place of politics. He attended the prestigious Sidwell Friends High School, where he won the art award in his senior year. Bates moved to San Francisco in 1988 to study art at the Academy of Art University. After two formative years, he was encouraged to go to Florence, Italy, where the art of the Renaissance deeply influenced him. His career as an oil painter has spanned three decades, with exhibitions in major cities including New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Paris, Cannes, and Florence. Bates currently resides in Florence, where he has lived since 1992.
Artist Statement
"For me, art is an opportunity, a place where I can go to discover the intricacies of the universe and represent them on my canvases. I am constantly searching for the hidden truths that are right there in plain sight. The act of painting, especially something realistic, allows me to learn what is actually there. Painting is an active medium, I use the paint to bring to life my subjects, in a way that only I can accomplish. Each painting is a journey, a story to be told using vibrant, exciting colors." - Matthew Holden Bates, Firenze 2024
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