Oil, oil stick, flashe paint, acrylic and collage

Zero Waste Landscape

This painting was heavily process based over the course of about 2 weeks in the summer of 2020. The painting was turned around multiple times, scraped down and built back up until completion. The title originates from sustainability and using every material available throughout the process. The abstracted shapes from nature against a gritty white background are meant to symbolize erosion, recycling and rebirth in these cycles. The painting on first view has a minimalist feel and the dominant white space makes it easy to live with. Upon closer inspection however many details and layers show through.

About

Matt Higgins

Matt Higgins is an artist and art professor based in Philadelphia, Pa. He earned his BFA from West Chester University and his MFA from The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Before switching to painting he studied graphic design for the majority of his undergraduate career. These foundation skills in graphic design still fuel a lot his creative work today but for him, are better translated to paint instead of on the computer screen. Along with his studio practice he teaches drawing and design courses at a number of institutions including Drexel University, Moore College of Art and Design and Delaware County Community College. Teaching continually reinforces the work he does in his studio and fulfills his desire to give back to the next generation of up and coming artists and designers.

Matt Higgins

describes their creative process

My process is still somewhat of a mystery to me. I make a lot of work, both small and large paintings, but I tend to take the large paintings more seriously and feel more invested in them. I try and be as open minded as possible during the creation but eventually decisions have to be made and you have to move on. Starting with the circle has been helpful and I usually go from there. I often times attach strips of canvas or some sort of studio "debri" onto the paintings to disrupt my own mark making and thinking. I don't like to waste materials so a lot of it comes from an ethical approach to art making which can be a very wasteful practice unfortunately but this helps me reconcile some of these issues.

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