Washes of color and texture dance about the peaks and valleys of the Southern Appalachians. They swirl ‘round, inviting painters to capture their beauty. Artist Matt Belfi felt the call. He was gleefully pulled into the mountain splendor. The result – pure magic.
The call beckoned in 1999. While working in Atlanta, Matt frequented the mountains, staying in a spare, unheated cabin, working May to November. The rustic cabin contributed to the feel of the woodland essence.
Having graduated in graphic art, Matt spent every moment layering pigment with paper, shape with surface, line with movement, collage with topography.
“When Covid hit,” Matt says, “I moved from Atlanta and came up here.”
It was safer, quieter, cleaner, and had a welcoming aesthetic to his artistic predilection.
Now, a permanent resident, Matt’s stepped up to a warmer home, and through Facebook, launched a blooming art business.
Recently, he presented a gallery show in Clayton, Georgia. Seventeen of 19 works sold. He also has participated in The Bascom’s exhibitions.
He’s deepened his painting style, blending graphic design with traditional and contemporary fine art. His fauna images (owls, raccoons, bears, etc.), layered on wood panels, now adorn mountain homes, business offices, galleries, and collector’s walls throughout the South. They are perfect décorements for Appalachian architectural dwellings.
Matt’s works intrigue the viewer. His graphic/commercial experience sneaks in visual surprises. Words, doodles, graphics, sketches (pastels, paints, inks, pencil), dress patterns, clips from romance novels, reflections in animal eyes, layers and layers of this-es and thats. If you own a Matt painting, on occasion you’ll probably find things previously unnoticed. His work has a freshness every time you view it.
Matt is expanding his work, literally, creating larger pieces. He’s available for commissions. Contact him through his website and get caught up in the magic he spins: belfidesign.com; INSTA @belfiart.
by Donna Rhodes
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