Aged six a boy went on trip to Salford Museum and Art Gallery with his mum and dad. He was mesmerised by a haunting painting called Famine by the English painter, John Charles Dollman.
Dating from 1904 the work is interpreted by some as literally starvation of the human body with a figure of death surrounded by hungry wolves. The artist, however, wanted it to portray a famine of the human spirit or the demise of the soul after its neglect.
The child was Andrew Alan Matthews and the work would sow a seed of creativity. Today, nearly 50 years later, (Saturday) an exhibition of his art is opening at the same museum on The Crescent. The work which inspired him remains as part of the permanent collection in the Victorian Gallery.
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Andrew’s achievement is a testimony to his own human spirit which has overcome tough times. Mental health issues almost destroyed his career and life – but through art, the support of his family, and medication he has survived and thrived.
Twenty-one of his paintings will be in a show at The Park Gallery, a space within the main museum. They depict Salford and Manchester by night including The Lower Turks Head, at Shudehill, Salford Quays and The Imperial War Museum.
The 55-year-old from Northern Moor is gaining worldwide popularity and brings his art alive with the addition of poetry and storytelling. Born in Winsford, Cheshire, his family later moved to Moss Side where he grew up during the 70s and 80s. He then lived in Salford for 18 years.
Seeing “Famine” was in this moment that he knew he wanted to become an artist. The family were living in Moss Side at the time and his parents, his father a bus driver and his mother a cleaner, gave him a sketch pad and oil pastels and he began to draw beautiful animals, copying images found on cigarette cards.
His strong artistic flair was spotted by his primary school head teacher who encouraged him to study art all the way through his school education from O to A Levels. He then studied graphic and engineering drawing design at college, eventually studying textile design at Manchester Metropolitan University.
He became a design separation artist in the textile industry which required minute attention to detail in the design and production of textile designs onto cloth. A decade into this career, Andrew had to rethink his life. At the age of 28 he was diagnosed with mental health issues.
Now fully under control, his mental health has made him realise that he had to reevaluate life and through the help of CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), art and creativity and medication he is now able to turn the negative into positive.
To lower his stress levels, Andrew decided that working part-time in jobs would help him to pursue his creative projects and become a professional artist. Whilst working at call centres and other workplaces around central Manchester, Salford, and Wythenshawe he became interested in social issues, especially homelessness which shaped the artist he is today.
“‘I’d have a particularly bad day at a call centre near The Arndale, and to relax I’d nip into the pub on my way home, and outside there would be homeless people. We’d chat and I’d buy them a sandwich or give them some money and it would make me realise that my day was nowhere near as bad as theirs. These encounters made me sit up and think, and want to help,” said Andrew.
He has produced more than 200 paintings, mainly cityscapes, which have been sold as far away as Jamaica. Andrew is also a storyteller and each of his paintings has a commentary through YouTube video uploads, and some are accompanied with poetry.
His style of painting is very unique – expressionistic with a free-flowing use of brush strokes, pallet knives and ink. Living in Salford for nearly two decades he fell in love with the views across Salford Quays and around Manchester. He donates a great deal of art to raise money for homeless charities across Greater Manchester and will continue to do so. His work is also on sale at the museum while his exhibition is live.
Andrew said: ‘I am delighted to be exhibiting at Salford Museum and Art Gallery as this is where my love of art began. I am a proud Mancunian artist with a deep love for Salford and I want to showcase my work and social commentary to as many people as possible.
“I have a positive message to spread which is promoting positivity through art, and turning negatives into positives. Art has helped me deal with my life-long mental health and I want to inspire others to enhance their lives positively through art. So, if you are in a dark place today, remember, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and help is out there’.
His exhibition opens at a free event on Saturday September 2nd at 1pm at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Peel Park, Salford, until February 11th 2024. There will be a silent auction throughout the exhibition to raise funds for Real Change Manchester, a charity which helps the homeless.
Amy Brunn, exhibition manager for Salford Museum and Art Gallery, said: “Andrew’s art is striking, bold, and makes a massive impact in the gallery. His story telling and poetry is a real social commentary on Salford and Manchester and brings the paintings to life. The way he uses the paint in layers, dragging it, produces architectural details and creates characters in his own unique style. This is why we wanted to represent Andy as our inaugral solo artist in our new community exhibition space, The Park Gallery.”
