MATT BAGLEY
ABOUT THE ARTIST
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Matt Bagley is a dedicated artist with a lifelong passion for creative expression. Hailing from South Louisiana, he was exposed to the art world at a young age, drawing inspiration from the works of Jose Posada and Albrecht Durer. In 1994, Matt obtained a degree in printmaking from the University of North Texas, solidifying his commitment to the craft. In 2010, he founded Iron Frog Press (IFP) to promote fine art printing in the Dallas community. Matt is renowned for the Print Frog® Glass Baren™, a groundbreaking printmaking tool that has garnered global recognition. In 2018, he introduced the PrintShop a Go-Go™, an innovative mobile print shop aimed at making printmaking accessible to individuals of all skill levels. Matt's dedication to his craft has earned him grants to bring printmaking workshops to underserved communities in Dallas.
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ARTIST STATEMENT
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Most of my accomplishments and time are involved in printmaking. Printmaking has been good to me, and I value the protocols. However, when doing my work, I make one- of-a-kind pieces that are not technically prints. This may be because Joseph Beuys and Andy Goldsworthy influenced my artwork. I love Goldsworthy™ use of nature as a medium, and Joseph Beuys's survival themes and limited-use materials resonant with me. The materials I use, bamboo, wood, string, and paper, are readily available around my studio and are what I would use if I were suddenly put in a wilderness survival situation.
Chronic illness has left me blind in one eye and diminished vision in the other. My low vision has increased my resolve to continue to make art, and I believe it has improved my sense of imagination, which is essential to the narrative aspects of my work. |
