Matthew Burkett’s compelling portraits hold the gaze. Deftly brushing intense eyes and emotive expressions onto canvas, the 38-year-old artist blurs the lines between the surreal and reality. “It started with my mom,” Burkett said when asked to explain his fascination with painting faces.
His mother, Hazel Scott is the first face Burkett remembers. Her kind eyes and wry smile sneak into every abstract piece he creates. MOM - HIS MUSE: Matthew’s late mother Hazel Scott, who died of cancer in 2010, is the inspiration for all his portrait work.
“Her beauty, even as a kid, I knew there was something special about her. Since then, faces have always drawn me in. There’s a story in every wrinkle, every expression, and that’s what I find most compelling.
” Scott’s maternal love left an indelible mark on Burkett, magnified by her untimely passing from cancer in 2010. He calls her loss “the most defining moment” of his life. “Her influence continues to guide me to this day.
She was a constant source of hope, always encouraging me to follow my dreams and to pick up a pencil and draw! Her memory is a driving force in everything I do, I cherish those vivid memories like I cherish nothing else. Burkett paints to honour her struggle and sacrifice, keeping her spirit alive through his work. “I like to think that she’s still with me, proud of what I’ve achieved and the person I’ve become.
Her belief in me is something I carry with me every day, and it’s a big .