{"Id":7777,"Name":"Matthew James Collins","Biography":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMatthew James Collins was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1970. Nurtured in an artistic family, his enthusiasm for art was encouraged from the earliest age. By his early teens, his study of drawing had already begun under the tutelage of his father, James Edward Collins, an award-winning architect.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor over 20 years, Matthew has been living in Italy studying and researching the classical techniques painting and sculpture.\u0026nbsp; He shares his acquired knowledge through his teaching studio in Florence, Italy.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn artist of unusually wide breadth, his oil paintings, frescos and sculptures reveal a rigorous study of the masterworks of the past and a deep observation of nature.\u0026nbsp; Not limited to a single genre his oeuvre includes portraiture, landscape, decoration and figurative subjects.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMatthew divides his time between Italy and Chicago. He exhibits internationally and his works are represented in public and private collections throughout the United States and Europe, including the MEAM in Barcelona, Spain. The quality of Matthew\u0027s work has been recognized by numerous artistic associations including: Modportrait 2016(Spain), Arte Laguna Prize 2017(Venice, Italy), the Portrait Society of America, and the National Sculpture Society. He was recently selected to become an Elected Sculptor Member of the National Sculpture Society. \u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E","BiographicalImageUrl":"/Artist/777/7777/Images\\bcb786cf-373d-4f6d-8f46-c765e60c7a1d.jpg","Awards":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2018\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFinalist in Animals as Subject Category, Portrait Society of America\u0027s Member\u0027s Only Competition\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2017\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHonorable Mention ModPortrait 2016, Spain\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFinalist Premio Arte Laguna, Arsenale, Venice, Italy\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2016\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJuror Selection at the Saint Vincent Gallery 6th\u0026nbsp;Nationwide Catholic Art Competition.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2015\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E3rd\u0026nbsp;Honorable Mention in the Portrait Society of America\u0026rsquo;s Member\u0026rsquo;s Only Competition.\u0026nbsp;Best Overall Oil award\u0026nbsp;December, 2015/January, 2016 bimonthly\u0026nbsp;PleinAir\u0026nbsp;Salon competition.\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2014\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E1st Place at the Oak Park Art League\u0026rsquo;s Artist Member Show.\u003Cbr /\u003E1st Honorable Mention and 9th Merit Award the the Portrait Society of America\u0026rsquo;s 2015 Member\u0026rsquo;s Only Competition, Sculpture and Commission portrait respectively.\u003Cbr /\u003EFinalist in the Figurative Category at the Art Renewal Center\u0026rsquo;s Annual Salon\u003Cbr /\u003EHonorable Mention at the Oak Park Art League\u0026rsquo;s Member\u0026rsquo;s Only Competition\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2013\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFinalist in Sculpture at the Art Renewal Center\u0026rsquo;s Annual Salon\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2012\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAward of Exceptional Merit in the Portrait Society of America\u0026rsquo;s International Competition\u003Cbr /\u003E2nd place at the Oak Park Art League\u0026rsquo;s 2nd National Carriage House Exhibition\u003Cbr /\u003E2nd place at the 4th National Juried Catholic Art Competition and Exhibition, St. Vincent\u0026rsquo;s College\u003Cbr /\u003EHonorable Mention in the Self Portrait category for the Portrait Society of America\u0026rsquo;s Member\u0026rsquo;s Only Competition\u003Cbr /\u003EFinalist in Sculpture in the Art Renewal Center\u0026rsquo;s Annual Salon\u003Cbr /\u003EFinalist in the Mythological category in the American Society of Traditional Artist\u0026rsquo;s Annual show\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2011\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMerit award for Non-commissioned Portrait in the Portrait Society of America\u0026rsquo;s Member\u0026rsquo;s Only Competition\u003Cbr /\u003EBedi-Makky prize, National Sculpture Society\u0026rsquo;s 78th Annual Awards Exhibition\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2010\u003C/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFirst place for sculpture Utrecht Art 2nd Annual Art Competition\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2009\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFirst place for sculpture in the Portrait Society of America\u0026rsquo;s Members\u0026rsquo; showcase\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2008\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHonorable Mention in the Portrait Society of America\u0026rsquo;s Members\u0026rsquo; showcase\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E","HasAlbums":false,"HasPortraits":false,"HasRelationships":false,"HasArticles":false,"HasDepictedPlaces":false,"HasLetters":false,"HasLibraryItems":false,"HasProducts":false,"HasSignatures":false,"HasVideos":false,"HasMapLocations":false,"TotalArtworks":30}