Matthew James Collins, Artist

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Matthew James Collins, Artist Matthew James Collins is a sculptor, painter and printmaker.

A new short video on YouTube.
14/06/2026

A new short video on YouTube.

Sketching from Michelangelo’s Pieta in Florence, Italy. ...

I haven’t been posting much recently as I have been busy with commissions. Currently, I am accepting more. So if you a...
13/06/2026

I haven’t been posting much recently as I have been busy with commissions. Currently, I am accepting more. So if you are interested in immortalizing yourself or someone you care about, please reach out. Both paintings and sculptures are available. Here is a bust I completed of a young boy, life size and in plaster. From this I created a marble and bronze busts.

An image of my painting “The Pink Dress,” now in a private collection.
30/05/2026

An image of my painting “The Pink Dress,” now in a private collection.

Tune into our 174th FASO Podcast: Matthew James Collins, Artist — Painting as a Lifelong OdysseyMatthew James Collins, ,...
24/05/2026

Tune into our 174th FASO Podcast: Matthew James Collins, Artist — Painting as a Lifelong Odyssey

Matthew James Collins, , is a figurative and portrait painter as well as a sculptor living and working in Florence, Italy.

He explains how Old Masters like Titian, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, and Velázquez shaped his devotion to painting from life, Baroque optical effects, and the idea of following their principles—especially observation of nature—rather than copying their style.

Matthew talks about how cameras and screens distort our sense of seeing, why young painters should “go cold turkey” from photographic reference when possible, and how experiencing art in person and in context is radically different from viewing it in what Matthew calls “art zoos” (museums stripped of original context).

Matthew shares concrete insights on portraiture—sight-size work from life, historical palettes, thoughtful posing and lighting, and the slow, conversational sittings needed to reveal character.

Underneath it all, the conversation keeps returning to bigger themes: the likeness of artistic voice to a lifelong "Odyssey", the role of culture and curiosity, the practical and emotional difficulty of being an artist today, and the enduring importance of making ambitious, sincere, beautifully crafted work that lives with people in everyday spaces.
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24/05/2026
A detail from my oil painting “Thetis”
10/05/2026

A detail from my oil painting “Thetis”

Some photos of the atelier. In the first one a portrait of a former student. I just prepared a canvas for an upcoming co...
04/05/2026

Some photos of the atelier. In the first one a portrait of a former student. I just prepared a canvas for an upcoming commission of a conversation piece that is on the easel. The small portrait bust was forgetten in the corner of my atelier for a couple of years and developed a very interesting patina!

02/05/2026

Address

Via San Zanobi 104R

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 19:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00
Saturday 13:00 - 17:00

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