Matt Lively

I am an artist living in Richmond, Virginia. I am a sculptor, painter, muralist; I have designed installations, worked on films, and illustrated books. I try to let my work be defined more by an openness to new ideas and opportunities than by working solely in one particular medium. My success over 25 years is a result of learning through mistakes combined with the collective wisdom of others. Collaborating with other passionate people always presents new avenues to explore that I would never be able to experience working on my own. 

My studio is a 130 year old barn that keeps me close to my family. A lot of things get made in the barn and some of it gets shown nationally and internationally. When not in the studio, I teach at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Studio School. It's because of all the people that took a minute to help me that I'm able to do this today. Most of what I've learned has been borrowed, so I do what I can to pass it on. I make images that suggest a story without a beginning or end. Learning to stop before the piece reveals too much is the most delicate aspect of my process.