The Appalachian Mural Trail aims to highlight the beautiful murals in our hills. Visit http://www.muraltrail.com/ to see an updated list of murals across our region. There are also lovely murals in some of our towns that aren’t part of this trail, like murals in Downtown Hickory and Downtown Morganton. Murals, like barn quilt squares, dot our landscape and highlight the love of art that’s present in our people and our towns.
We’ve been impressed with artist Matthew Good for a long time. His work is meticulous, and obviously inspired by ancient masters. He finds inspiration in every day subjects, like friends and much-used factories and mills.
We were excited to sit down with him to chat about his inspirations.
FD: What draws you to paint?
MG: I have loved to draw since I was a kid. As a teenager I was drawn to the classical arts because of the obvious skill which the old masters had. As I got older and studied their works and realize how deep they go in interpreting their world, I have always wanted to learn to draw in paint in that manner.
FD: What’s your favorite subject matter?
MG: My favorite subject matter is by far the human form. Whether portraits or figures, it is by far the most poignant subject matter for me.
FD: Tell me about your training.
MG: I was lucky in that my favorite living painter as a kid also happens to be from North Carolina and at the time was running a school in Asheville. His name is Ben Long and is probably best known for the frescoes he has painted in North Carolina. He is a consummate draftsmen and painter and has had by far the biggest impact on me as a painter. I have been fortunate enough to help him on two frescoes, one in Lucignano, Italy and one at Wingate University. I have been working with Ben for about 8 years now and must say the man is as much family to me as a teacher.
FD: You paint landscapes of subjects that most artists don’t. Why are you drawn to this type of work?
MG: The landscapes I paint are probably inspired by the fact that I grew up in a family that worked in hosiery mills. I spent countless hours at the mill with my dad as a kid and to this day I love industrial landscapes. Of course there isn’t much hosiery industry left in the area but the remnants of those times sill remain. So all of the old factories and even demolished buildings hold a certain emotional weight to me.
The foothills are fortunate to have an artist as committed to their craft as Matthew Good. His dedication is apparent in the precise nature of his work, and he’s a good artist to watch. We suspect that like fine wine, he will only improve with age.
Peak inside the artist’s studio, at right. You can find more information about Matthew, as well as buy art, at matthewsgood.com.
