Portraits to Comfort, Encourage and Inspire
"Come as Children," 16 x 20, acrylic on canvas portrait, Copyright 2017 by Matt Philleo, artist.
"Picking up the Mantle" 16 x 20, acrylic on canvas, by artist Matt Philleo
"Rebuilding the Broken, 16 x 20, acrylic on canvas, depicting Nehemiah rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, an illustration by artist Matt Philleo for a book by Russell Stendal, published by Aneko Press, 2018
"Bethel Mural: The Gospel from Genesis to Revelation", by artists Dave Mattison and Matt Philleo, 2013, panel 2, detail
"Strength to Rise", 16 x 20, acrylic on canvas by artist Matt Philleo, copyright 2017
"Victory in Surrender" 16 x 20, acrylic on canvas, by Matt Philleo.
Portraits to Comfort, Encourage and Inspire
Hi, I’m Matt Philleo. Since 1991, I have been creating detailed, realistic pencil drawings and acrylic paintings on commission and exhibition.
My goal is, through beautiful and emotive art, to bring comfort, encouragement, and inspiration, especially to the discouraged and brokenhearted, so they can experience true and lasting peace.
Please contact me if you have any questions and visit my blog posts to see my most current work. If you’d like to be added to my personal and confidential email list, sign up right here.
To learn more about my custom portraits, visit TraditionStudio.com, my official commissioned artwork page
Thanks for visiting!
“Inscribed”
14″ x 17″
Pencil on Paper
UPCOMING SHOWS:
- 11th Annual Artisans Showcase–Merrill, WI. February 9, 2019 | 12-4:30PM (More info)
- Realistic Acrylic Portraits: A Two-Day Worskshop. March 12-13, 10:30AM-3:30PM (More info)
Here’s the Latest From My Blog…
How I Became a Professional Artist Part 1
When I was 14, I had my first art commission, back in 1991. My mom’s friend asked me to draw a pencil portrait montage of one of her close friends. That started the ball rolling, and I did a few commissioned portraits while yet in high school. During high school, my art teachers encouraged me to pursue a career in the arts. I took that advice to heart and attended Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in 1996. I did well, averaging a 3.8 GPA, but with the extremely high tuition cost I left after a year. Since that time, I worked in several jobs over the years–dishwashing, ad designing, retail sales, vacuum repair, recycling–but I was always hesitant to do art full time. It was just something that I thought would “happen” down the road when things lined up perfectly, or I got that mysterious “breakthrough.” Then, in 2008, I was 31 years old, traveling on the road away from home, days on end, working at a fairly high-paying but stressful training/manager job. I was gone so much that my baby son didn’t know even who I was when I returned. On a Sunday afternoon, my mother in law asked me this question: “Matt, why are you continuing in this dead-end job? What is it do you think you’re meant to do?” I said, “I think I’m supposed to be doing art full time.” She replied pointedly, “Well, why aren’t you doing it then?” “Because I don’t know if my bills will get paid.” “What?! And God can’t meet your needs? He can’t take care of you?” That was... read more
New Painting: Enjoying the Light of the World
It’s amazing how fast the year went by. The dusting of snow on the ground, the crisp weather, the lights on the trees, the hustle and bustle in the shopping areas all indicate the Christmas season is here! I love Christmas, but it’s always a bittersweet season for me. Having grown up in a legalistic church/ cult, my family and I didn’t celebrate Christmas until I was 12 years old, after we left that place. We were taught from the time we were little kids that Christmas was pagan and evil. For that reason, Christmas doesn’t quite have the “magic” for me–you, know, that nostalgic feeling that finds it root in childhood–since I missed those special moments: the awe and wonder of the decorations, the preparation, the suspense, and of course, the gifts. Christmas also signals to me the the year is almost over. It makes me think of how quickly the time went by, and some things that I wanted to accomplish, but wasn’t able to get done. And I’m not a fan of winter! But I definitely don’t want to be a Grinch. So, now I’m going to look at the positive side… For Jesus, Christmas is a time of birth. For us, it’s a time of rebirth. The year is winding down, and a fresh new year is ahead, with new opportunities arising: opportunities for business, and opportunities for relationships too. I’m glad my children can celebrate Christmas and enjoy the true meaning of the season. As they are getting old enough to appreciate it, my wife and I are doing special advent devotions with them.... read more
I do Custom Fine Art Portraits from Your Photo.
For more info, click on the image, and it will take you to Tradition Studio.com, my official commissioned artwork website.
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