Matthew Freel

Warrior-Preacher (Theodore Roosevelt), watercolor on paper, 54x74"

In the recent past, I had the privilege of seeing the work of Matthew Freel at his studio located at Studio 33 Arts Center in Baltimore. I was drawn to his work after catching a glimpse of the large (54"x70") watercolor, Warrior-Preacher (Theodore Roosevelt), from the hall. The work was magnetic. I had to get closer and examine the brushstrokes and the exciting movement on the enormous paper. As I looked at the many other works he had displayed, I felt a passion for the work welling up inside me. It was so inspiring!

I noticed several themes in the subjects of his work. He seemed interested in Theodore Roosevelt, boxers, Superman, and Hindu gods. His drawings are well crafted with careful and interesting marks. His paintings are passionate- I love the aggressive use of movement in them. There's an excitement in the work where they seemed to come alive and the figural struggles felt tangible. It is truly great work by a talented artist.