This oil painting was made because I wanted to capture the incredible detail of this Victorian masterpiece. Ironically, the flowers are on the outside of the greenhouse because the structure is in need of renovation and care. Here in Firenze, there is so much that needs constant renovation that I am afraid that this gem has fallen through the cracks. I hope that by making this painting I will draw attention to this landmark building.

Montmartre, Paris, a day looking at art, and then I saw this big blue wall, with three beautiful Parisian women and I knew that this was my subject.

Oil on Canvas - 80cm x 100cm - ©2007, Matthew Bates, All Rights Reserved Last winter there was a great artistic event in Firenze, the exhibition of the recently restored "Apoxyomenos of Losinj" (Croatia). I was incredibly inspired by this masterpiece of antiquity. I took lots of photos of the statue, and the above painting was inspired directly from my visit to Palazzo Medici, where the statue was on display. The painting is larger than life, made this way so I could explore the intricate details of this Greek jewel which is over 2000 years old.

Tulips

Oil on Canvas - 90cm x 95cm - ©2007, Matthew Bates, All Rights Reserved

Galleries: Cityscapes -Statues - Still Life - Landscapes - www.mattbates.net - EMail

This larger than life painting was a great way to experiment with the contrast between the airbrushed background and the hand painted flowers.

4th dimensional painting is when you can see more in the design than you can in real life. This painting was designed to bend space and time. After 5 years, I came back to this bridge to make an even larger painting, always loving the overall design of this place.

4th dimensional painting is when you can see more in the design than you can in real life. This painting was designed to bend space and time. After 5 years, I came back to this bridge to make an even larger painting, always loving the overall design of this place.

New York is a vibrant place which has inspired me to create this painting, I love the light in New York, it is like no other place I have been.

I like to paint people and places, but sometimes the places are too big, so I have to stretch them out and add space to the left and to the right, so the viewer can appreciate the scope of the place. This painting is a perfect example of this.

I love to paint flowers that grow in my garden in the Spring.

I love to paint little flowers that grow in my garden in the Spring.

I have an amazing orchid plant that flowers for several months each year.

Every year in Firenze there is a Iris show at Piazzale Michelangelo, I found this gem there.

This little rose grew in my garden last Spring

A friend gave me this bulb and it grew into this amazing flower.

Sometimes I find myself at the right place at the right time. This scene lent itself to becoming a painting for its shear beauty.