Matt Phillips

Matt Phillips initially pursued a career as a poet. In 1952, he earned a master's degree in Literature from the University of Chicago. He studied painting while traveling Europe and also studied art techniques at the Barnes Foundation in Merion, PA. He taught for a short time in Paris and returned to the United States in 1964 to teach at Bard College in New York. Phillips is known for his use of the monotype technique, which involves applying ink or paint to a metal plate. The plate is pressed onto canvas or paper, and only one painting can be produced from each image.

Phillip’s paintings are largely geometric and feature bold colors. Phillips likens his skill to that of a magician. In a recent interview, he stated: "When doing a monotype, you have to work quickly so that the image that you create in paint or ink does not dry on the printmaking plate before it is transferred to paper; performing magic also teaches you how to envision images both upside down and reversed." The artist was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in 1975 and earned a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant in 1995.

While Phillips is known for using the monotype technique, he also works with water colors, pencil, and oil paint. Phillip use of bright colors and texturized elements are common in his work. In addition to Abstract pieces, Phillips also produces landscapes and nudes. He is retired from Bard College and spends his time painting, traveling, and lecturing.