My obsession with flowers has become even greater with John Matthew Moore's paintings; they're larger than life with photo-realistic effects, seeming to explode off the page while still maintaining their scientific precision. John's medium of choice is the velvety, chalk enriched watercolor known as gouache, with which he excels in the mastery of color and attention to detail. The opaque pigments of gouache enable Matthew to achieve stunning effects ranging from light shining through petals to the deep, dark, rich tones of his red tulips. I'm so excited that some of his pieces will be part of the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles' Home for the Holidays Show House. Please visit his website at www.johnmatthewmoore.com, and you'll be obsessed too!!!
What is the one thing in life you cannot live without? What I can't live without really is Happiness in simple things. My dogs. The sunrise. A hug. Sounds a bit lame, but Happiness is the fuel for my soul.
Past or present, who has most influenced your direction in life? My biggest influence has always been my mom. She encouraged me from a very early age of 3 when I first showed an interested in drawing and still does to this day.
Who would you most like to meet and how would you spend the day? I would like most to meet Jamie Wyeth. The work of the Wyeth's have always moved me in such an unexplainable way. So to spend the day with him on Monhegan Island, Maine where I love to vacation and where he has a house would be incredible.
What inspires your creativity? I have always and will always be inspired by nature.
How would you describe your personal style? I never think about my personal style. It's not been something I've striven for, but something that just happened. It's easier to say how my style evolved. With my mother's influence. When I started drawing, my mom would look at my drawing and say it didn't look like my subject. She would point out what was wrong. So with that, I would strive to draw the subject as correctly as I could.
What is your most prized possessions? I don't like to call my dogs 'my possessions' so I'd have to say my portraits of my dogs.
What do you like most about your job? What do you like the least? What I like best and least about my job is the solitude.
What's in the future for you? I wish I knew what was in the future for me. It's one thing to make plans, but another to be open to new opportunities that may come that you least expected.
What advice would you give someone wanting to become an artist? My advise to anyone wanting to become an artist is to 'just do'. Do whatever makes you happy.
What valuable lessons have you learned along your journey as an artist? My most valuable lessons I've learned about my journey as an artist is to appreciate my gift for now because no one knows what tomorrow may bring. Also to never underestimate my gift. If someone else's art can move me, than I can see how my work can move others. It's a humbling knowledge.
What has been your favorite project? My favorite subject to paint are animals. No question. Especially dogs. Maybe this also comes from growing up on a farm, but I love animals. To capture their personality and immortalize them forever is such a great feeling.