Matthew Draper was born in 1973 in Staffordshire. He studied at Walsall College of Art from 1991-92 and then Falmouth College of Art from 1992-95.
Matthew Draper begins his art work by pinning paper to the wall drawing first with pastel and charcoal. Then, crushing the pastel in his hands, he will spread raw colour across the paper, working it in with the ball of his thumb. At a later stage, the dust created in this process, collected from the floor, is thrown at the picture where it clings and is rubbed in.
Matthew Draper is very an action painter. His paintings resound with the evidence of reduction and accretion. Among his tools are sandpaper and sponges, used to erode the surface, transforming paper to smooth velvet, all the time spray-fixing each layer of pastel. He both builds a work and, at the same time, obliterates its form and structure. What began as a townscape dissolves in a sea of colour.
Since moving to Scotland in 1997, Matthew Draper's art work has been exhibited in several galleries, mainly in the UK but also in the USA. His painting are in the art collections of Bank of Scotland, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow plus various private art collections in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe and the USA.
Matthew is the recipient of many art awards including: the Alexander Graham Munro Travel Award, RSW in 2000; the City of Glasgow Prize, RGI in 2002; Contemporary Fine Art Gallery Award, Paisley Art Institute in 2004; Cross Gate Gallery Award, Kentucky USA, the Pastel Society Award, London and the John Murray Thomson Award, RSA in 2006; the Anthony J. Lester Art Critic Award, London and the Chairman's Purchase Prize at the Discerning Eye Exhibition, London, in 2007. Most recently in 2008 he was awarded the Shell Premier Award, Aberdeen Museum and Art Gallery.
In addition to Red Rag British Art Gallery Matthew Draper art work has been exhibited at other leading British Art Galleries. Each painting at Red Rag is sourced from the Matthew Draper artist studio and like all Red Rag British art and Contemporary art it can be shipped worldwide.
Paintings from Matthew Draper are now available at the Red Rag Art Gallery in Stow on the Wold. For further information about Matthew Draper paintings
CONTACT RED RAG on 01451 832563
