Matthew Phinn studied Fine Art at the University of Leeds, during which he spent a year abroad at the University of California, Irvine. After graduating in 2001, he moved to Japan, where he now works as an artist and painting teacher. Phinn's style of painting integrates elements of Japanese Sumie ink painting (which he studied in Saitama Prefecture), with traditional English watercolour techniques.
Unlike a conventionally Western approach to landscape painting, Japanese proportions and brushes are used and realistic images often lead into areas of stylisation and abstraction. The sizes of the paintings are increasingly large, reaching up to 2 metres in width. Phinn has exhibited in California, Tokyo, Yamaguchi, Hiroshima and Galway, Ireland and is now in the third year of an artist-in-residency in Hiroshima.
Solo Exhibition Tokyo Design Festa, Odaiba, Tokyo
Solo Exhibition Akiyoshidai Art Village, Yamaguchi Ken, Japan
Group Exhibition World Arts Hiroshima, Higashi Hiroshima
Group Exhibition Mount Noro Art Village
Student and teacher joint exhibition Nakamura Hospital, Hiroshima
Solo Exhibition Galleria Reino, Hiroshima
Group Exhibition Kure City Art Museum
Solo Exhibition Gallery Miyazato, Miyajima, Hiroshima
Group Exhibition Shinpukuji Temple, Kawajiri, Hiroshima
Solo Exhibition Gallery Tengu, Hiroshima
Selected for Japanese National Watercolour Competition Opening at Tokyo City Art Museum, Ueno, Tokyo.
Group Exhibition Galway Arts Festival, Ireland.
Joint Exhibition (with Makoto Oji), on 6th February, at SOGO Department Store (5th Floor), Kure Hiroshima (runs until 12th of February).