About

His background includes a Bachelor of Arts in both Film Studies and Art History with a Minor focus in Fine Arts from the Ohio State University and a Masters in Library and Information Science with a focus in digital collections preservation and access from Kent State University. Since the early 2000's he has been performing freelance work locally in the form of providing audio/visual digitization consultation and creating video, photo, graphic arts, and paintings for the purpose of art exhibition. He has led workshops in media arts for non-profits such as 4-H and The Greater Columbus Arts Council. He has a long history of curating moving image programs and teaching film around Columbus, Ohio as part of organizations such as The Columbus Moving Image Art Review, The Journal of Short Film, The Ohio State Film Studies Program, Reelabiltites Film Festival, The Columbus International Film + Video Festival, Comfest, and the Independents Day Festival.

Matt Swift is an all-around visual artist living in Columbus, Ohio. His work is not limited to any one medium or mode including photography, painting, video, digital compositions, mixed media and anything else that may be a source of inspiration. With an education in Art History, Film and Media Studies, and Library Science, the majority of his work stems from a deep connection to the historical avant-garde and experimental movements of all art forms. Juxtaposition of styles to find new abstract connections is where most of his work begins. Every piece is scientifically and creatively an experiment with a hypothesis that is tested and either is proven or disproven. What engagement occurs when you mix meditation and action painting to create a wall scroll combining the styles of Jackson Pollock and Zen Buddhist painters? What about the combination of purist structuralist cinematic techniques with the motivations of Norman McLaren’s frame by frame hand etched animations inspired by music? The end result encompasses a documentation of the experiment fit for a postmodern world, updating and educating about the styles of old through the lens of the plethora of information that is at the fingertips of our ever shrinking but also expanding digital world.

His current work is a conversation with alternative methods of landscape and portrait painting as performance to overcome his physical disability using various digital technologies. His recent work explores the intersection of human interaction and programmed robotics. His paintings embody the artist’s movements, application of paint, and interference with a robotic vacuum cleaner which through random object avoidance and rotating brushes serves as the mark making tool.

In 2014 Matt was awarded a Greater Columbus Arts Council Media Arts Fellowship for his work in moving image art.

Between 2019 and 2021, with hi partner Nikki Swift, through their collaborative company Nicolettecinemagraphics, was awarded the Ohio Governor's Award for Small Business Supporting the Arts and released a local documentary film, Columbus in Cuba, and a local grant funded autism melodrama a film, Those Who Spring of Me to sell out local crowds and eventually streaming on Amazon.

In December of 2023, Matt released a DVD album containing original audio and moving image artworks titled Intrinsicity.

Matt will also feature several new sacred geometry prints, a new 16 panel abstract expressionist action painting and a mixed media video installation in RAW Gallery in February to debut the new exhibitions space that will showcase artworks by Ohio Art League members.

See more about Mindful Cycles of Hope by Matt Swift opening Feb 17th from 1-4 at RAW Gallery 112 E Main St.

Check out more info on his Instagram page

Instagram: @Mateoveloz

or Follow Nicolettecinemagraphics

on YouTube or Amazon