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Matt Atkinson

Adominating figure in the field of Western art, Matt Atkinson’s realistic portrayals of America’s time-honored heritage are well-regarded by both collectors and jurors alike. From traditional saddle makers and master violin carvers to Indian elders and warriors (both living and historical), Atkinson’s paintings honor and preserve American history and culture. A purist at heart, Atkinson creates every drawing with graphite and charcoal, without the aid of computers, transfer paper, tracing, or overlay on prints. Inspired by nature, Atkinson works with hand-made earth pigments that are collected from minerals and soils throughout the world. These are the same pigments used in ancient cave paintings and are the origins of Native American face paint. His art expresses respectful, reverent, and positive relationships between humankind and the natural, wild world. Not only do Atkinson’s paintings literally contain elements of nature within, but they also commemorate his own ancestral lineage.

“In every painting, I also use the brushes and paints that I inherited from my grandmother, a wise and compassionate elder. The brushes in the vase beside her easel still had paint on them, waiting for her to return to them, when she passed. Using them on every canvas connects my art with that heritage.”

Atkinson’s array of awards from distinguished juried events affirms his excellence in realistic portraiture and narrative painting. In 2020, Atkinson was awarded Best of Show at the Western Spirit Juried Art Show, as well as the Patrons Purchase Award at the Bosque Arts Classic, where he also received a Gold Medal for his painting, “Give No Ground.” Atkinson was awarded the Silver Medal in the 2019 Bosque Art Classic, and in 2017, Atkinson received the Award for Excellence at the American Plains Artists Annual Invitational Show. Atkinson has participated in a number of invitational shows including, Oil Painters of America Western Regional Show, Colorado Indian Market, Mountain Oyster Club, Western Associates Juried Show, Parker Artist Guild Juried Show, Once Upon a Time in the West, Mueller State Park Invitational, Florissant Fossil Beds Annual Juried Show and more. Atkinson has appeared in National Fine Art Magazines such as Southwest Art as well as Luxe Magazine’s promotional feature on Colorado artists.