Matthew Watts studied at West Surrey College of Art and Design and has worked as a graphic designer and artist since the late 1990’s. His work has been displayed in galleries in both Bath, Bristol and London. His paintings are primarily portraits and figurative pictures. Working in the highly diverse medium of oil, the aim is not to create a picture of a particular person, rather it explores the process of mark making, colour and the paint itself, in an endeavour to create an image that will stand on its own.  Often working from life or found images, these starting points are not transposed onto a surface but are used as a jumping off point. It is hoped that the qualities of the paint and mark making will create an energy that supplants attempts at likeness and realism. Ultimately it’s an attempt at going beyond an image that is demonstratively decorative but rather create a picture that is its own source of energy.