Matt Ryder is an award-winning British artist living and working in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A lifelong painter, Ryder is endlessly inspired by the natural world and the beauty of nature, be it flowers, land, sea or sky. His piece Rosie Rosie Lucy Rose, titled by his daughter who was 5 at the time, was the winning painting in International Artistmagazine’s most recent Florals & Gardens Competition.
Canyon Light, oil on linen, 20 x 24"Ryder’s medium of choice is oils, which allow him to create lush, painterly florals and landscapes. His paintings of rose bushes are a prominent part of his oeuvre, featuring multi-colored blooms in differing qualities of light. “In so many of my paintings I enjoy the play of complementary colors and always look for ways to push it a little further while still feeling natural,” says Ryder, describing his piece A Delicate Balance. “The play between pinks, greens and violets was particularly fun in this one.”
Rosie Rosie Lucy Rose, oil on linen, 18 x 24"
A Delicate Balance, oil on linen, 12 x 16
A trio of peachy roses are complemented by a baby blue background in Three Roses. And Crossroad, depicting a group of pink and white roses, is Ryder’s largest floral to date at 43 by 24 inches. “[This was] such a fun one to work on. I was pushing to find a strong composition that was a little outside of my normal structure and found it in this cross formation,” he says.
Matt Ryder in his studio.
Three Roses, oil on linen, 11 x 14"
With a true love for the outdoors, Ryder’s paintings often start as small onsite studies, painting plein air in the deserts and mountains in order to capture authentic light and color that can be transferred to the studio for larger work. Being predominantly self-taught has enabled the artist to develop a technique that is very unique to him, with a particular emphasis on bringing the feel of natural light into his work. His 20-by-24-inch oil Canyon Light captures a view of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. “I took my first trip to the Grand Canyon this year and couldn’t get over the incredible color and complexity of the formations. I am working on a series of canyon paintings that try to capture what I experienced,” he explains.
Crossroad, oil on linen, 43 x 24"
Ryder has taught and exhibited in the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Ireland. He is currently represented by Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson, Arizona, and Majlis Gallery in Dubai. More of his work can be found at www.ryderscanvas.com and on Instagram @mattryder. —
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