I’m an artist (painter/illustrator). I was born on the south side of Chicago and raised in New York an artist family, my father was one of the first Black master photographers in the U.S.A. and my maternal family are painters and sculptors in Italy. I’m a proud African/Italian and consider myself just that, the country of one’s birth doesn’t dilute the blood and I don’t believe any culture should be “hyphen classified” to represent a “conquered” country where less than 2% are indigenous. Where you live is not who you are without accepting and taking responsibility for the history of that place. I believe one’s culture is the foundation where we find strength and build character, to deny one’s blood origin is to live in ignorance.
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As an artist I believe art should be more than just pretty pictures, though there is a place for that, a well rounded artist should also represent the world in which they live. It is our obligation to educate and inspire others through our art.
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I love what I do, but this is also my living. So even though I would like nothing more than to do this for free, I can not. Contact me for pricing as it differs with the complexity of the job.
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*** I do offer my art to charity auctions and fund-raisers at no charge. ***
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My work can be seen at http://www.matlocktheartist.com
or http://www.flickr.com/photos/8540405@N06/sets/
Favorite Quotations
“How can a man like myself, after four thousand years of man-eating history, even though I knew nothing about it at first, ever hope to face real men?”
– Lu Xu ‘A Madman’s Diary’
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“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear
is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness,
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually who are we not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people
won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine as children do.
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And when we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.”
