Timothy Matthews

St. Helens, United Kingdom •

Artist (Painting) •

Born 1980 •

Timothy Matthews is a contemporary British painter based in St. Helens, United Kingdom. Born in 1980, Matthews' artistic journey began after he completed a BA Hons Degree in Film & TV, Design & Animation at the North East Wales Institute in 2003. He started traditional oil painting in 2010, using photographs as references, and quickly developed a distinctive style.

In 2015, Matthews gained national recognition by winning the BBC Little Painting Challenge with a postcard-sized portrait of his baby son. His work has been exhibited and sold at various national and local art shows and festivals, where he has garnered appreciation for his unique artistic vision.

Matthews' main subject matter is cats, which he enjoys painting for their innocent curiosity, playfulness, and humor. His cat paintings often feature small vignettes that reflect his love of interiors, pattern, color, and composition. He paints slowly, working loosely, with the focal points—usually the cats or what they are observing—rendered in more detail. While his cat paintings vary, they often follow a thematic series, allowing him to explore new ideas while maintaining a consistent narrative.

In addition to cats, Matthews explores a variety of other subjects, creating distinct series of work that include yoga and meditative paintings, red skeletons, nighttime formal gardens, yellow figurative sunbathers, abstract music-inspired pieces, and sound healing biofield figurative paintings. Each body of work is unique, reflecting a different perspective and motive.

Matthews draws inspiration from a range of artists, including Gustav Klimt, John Singer Sargent, and Toulouse-Lautrec, among others, which influence his diverse and evolving body of work.

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