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Matthew Conrad is a self-taught representational oil painter who began practicing art from a young age. He studied Graphic Design briefly at the Art Institute of Seattle and began painting primarily in acrylics in the mid-2000s before moving on to produce oil paintings in 2020 onward. Matthew believes what many artists do, that painting is a science necessary to acquire in order to make of it an art. "It is beauty from life that I try to convey," he says, "and I may find it in a certain form, in a certain light, in a certain color, and I attempt to translate that beauty with each brush stroke." I would describe my style as having elements of impressionism, such as loose brushstrokes and a vibrant palette, combined with elements of realism, as I like to capture individuals' true appearance and personality in my portraiture. Common themes among my work include still life, portraits, the human figure, and natural scenery.