Today we’d like to introduce you to Liza Hathaway Matthews.
Hi Liza, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I had the good fortune of graduating from MICA – Maryland Institute College of Art. I graduated with a Major in Painting and a Minor in Interior Design. When I graduated, I went into Fundraising and did not come back to my painting till my children were in elementary school.
One day, my daughter asked for me to do a piece for her bedroom and that is when I got right back into what I love! I started painting abstract pieces for friends, designers, and specialty interior stores. Social media had taken off and I had a website designed that helped get my work out to a larger audience as well as through Facebook and Instagram. That opened my world up to a larger audience and many possibilities. I started doing pieces for designers and collectors from all over the world and working with art brokers who would place my work in residential and commercial spaces.
I was then discovered through the world of social media by Anthropologie and other textile companies such as Cotton and Quill (cottonquill.com) and the Piper Collection (piper-collection.com) as well as Lema J Designs (Lemajdesign.com). My work was being looked at for pillows, textiles, lampshades, leather cuffs, and other accessories. Since I had studied Interior Design at MICA, it was fun to be able to look at my pieces as being more than a painting.
I am continuing to build on my brand and am very excited to launch table linens this spring. What I love about what I do each day is that I realize the possibilities are endless but there are just not enough hours in the day to try to do it all. A great problem to have! I was born and live in Baltimore with my husband and three children.
I love this city with all the wonderful museums, cultural and educational institutions, beautiful waterways/ landscapes, gardens, parks, and architecture. We have it all! Please see more of my work and my latest collaborations on www.lizahathawaymatthews.com.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think when you have your own business it can be difficult with so much to do.
I quickly learned what I was good at and what I wasn’t. I had someone help me do my website and social media as that was time-consuming and I had no understanding of how to target my audience. I think delegating was key and continues to be.
I will say though, that I have taken the time to educate myself so I have a better understanding of the most up-to-date media outlets for my particular business. I also have friendships with other emerging artists so we can bounce ideas off of each other. I always walk away from those conversations with an important tidbit.
This has made the road much smoother for me!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love to paint! I love to experiment with different mediums and push myself to learn everything about a technique. I work primarily with acrylic, oil, and ink on canvas and paper but also will incorporate pencil and metallic/glass medium too.
The perfect day is waking up early and going right into my home studio and painting. I love the quiet and I am excited to create. My pieces evolve and I never know what the final piece will look like but that is what I love the most! As an abstract painter, there are no rules or boundaries you just got to go for it.
I have a few different styles that I focus on and they are landscapes/waterscapes, florals, and abstract designs. I love to switch it up and continue to evolve and learn with these specific styles. I am most proud of being able to collaborate with other wonderful brands, companies, and art brokers. They all make me think outside the box and push me to be a better artist.
I feel very fortunate to do what I absolutely love every day and to create pieces that others want to collect and hang in their space. That makes me so happy!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love that we have so many wonderful cultural organizations in Baltimore City such as the BMA, The Walters Art Gallery, The Peabody Conservatory, The Enoch Pratt Library, and the BSO to name a few.
We are also blessed with some amazing educational institutions such as MICA (my alma mater), Hopkins University, UMBC, Loyola University, and Morgan State University to name a few. We are blessed with all different terrain in Maryland from beautiful mountains to beaches. We have the shore points that are surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay.
We have it all and more! I am sorry we are highlighted in the news for the bad and not the good! For me, it was a great place to grow up and continues to be a great place to raise a family.
Pricing:
- My pieces range from 24 x 24 to $875 on up to all sizes.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Www.lizahathawaymatthews.com
- Instagram: @Lizahathawaymatthews
- Facebook: Liza Hathaway Matthews
- Twitter: Liza Hathaway Matthews
- Pinterest: Liza Hathaway Matthews
Image Credits
Whitney Wasson Photography Www.whitneywasson.com
