The East Coast features prominently in the pastel landscapes and portraits which form a large part of Matthew's work. His distinctive style is typified by vigorous use of light and colour to capture the mood and character of a subject.
Matthew Garrard became a full-time professional artist after a career in journalism and public relations, and has been based in Suffolk since 1982.
Matthew's original work has been featured regularly in exhibitions at the Southwold Gallery in Southwold, and his work was selected to appear in the Laing exhibition two years running, winning the 'Guest's Choice' Prize this year.
In December 1995, a series of prints reproduced from his paintings were issued and, following their success, a further set of six designs was launched in June 1996. These comprise four images from Southwold, and one each from Lowestoft and Walberswick.
Matthew Garrard exhibits his work in a number of galleries throughout East Anglia, the Home Counties, and with the East Anglian Group of Marine Artists.
Matthew featured in a 'How to Paint in Pastels' item running over six weeks on Anglia Television in 2000.