Matt Brackett is a representational painter of images that
explore personal and family narratives. Though they present
a naturalistic appearance, his paintings do not represent
actual events or reality, but instead offer an alternate, unique
vision. While each image begins in the unordered space of
inspiration, Brackett implements a carefully orchestrated
execution. Preliminary techniques include sketching,
photographic research, computed-aided montages and even
scale modeling. The final result is often one of wonder and
menace that asks us to pause and reflect upon a field of
interpretation.
Brackett was born in Berkeley, CA and lives in Boston, MA.
He received a Bachelor's degree in painting from Yale
University in 1997 where he was the recipient of the Ethel
Childe Walker Prize. His work has been shown nationally in galleries and museums, including
the Aqua Wynwood, FL; The DeCordova Museum, MA; The Merchandise Mart, IL; Alpha Gallery,
MA; the Brattleboro Museum, VT; Yale University Art Gallery, CT. He has also been featured in
New American Painting’s juried exhibition in print, issues #38, #56 and #80.
Brackett is the recipient of numerous awards, including grants from the Pollock-Krasner
Foundation, the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and
the George Sugarman Foundation. He has held residencies at Yaddo and the Virginia Center
for the Creative Arts.
Brackett’s work appears in the collections of Wellington Management in Boston, the Danforth
Museum of Art in Framingham, MA, and numerous private collections in the U.S., India,
Germany and England.