We recently connected with Miguel Jose Matos and have shared our conversation below.

Miguel Jose, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

Around 2014 I watched a movie titled Radiant Child. The movie was about Jean Mitchell Basquiat. By then I was in my early sixties and retired from a fruitful career in Finance. Fascinated by Basquiat’s work I decided to visit the art supply store and started painted on large canvas paper that fit on top of the dinning room table. Soon thereafter I had painted over 100 pieces and could not stop.

I can’t say what would have happened if I started painting earlier because I did not attend art school or have received any kind of art instruction. I came so naturally to me that I got into a whole period of discovery. Where did this all come from?

After a couple of years of posting on social media venues, my 30×40 canvas paintings, I started getting invitations to show at group shows. I pursued all local venues having shows at multiple galleries. So now almost ten years later I have a good amount of followers who consistently acquire my pieces and in Sept. 2024 opened my own gallery.

So I guess this adventure has been one where I can’t fathom where I would be if I had discovered these talents earlier.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

All I can say here is that now I don’t stop painting.

Am most proud of the prolific and unplanned nature of my art and always selling at prices affordable to most people. All of my pieces are priced between $300-$400 each with the goal of reaching as many homes, offices and other commercial venues that now pursue my art.

Parkville Art Gallery is now hosting about 10 local artist in our 4,000 square foot gallery.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Post every day because I paint everyday.

People started liking paintings and then the social platforms served as kind of a market study.

Following the lead of followers I was able to target certain approaches that led to more raw paintings.

This led to invitations to shows at local galleries, the shows led to artist residencies.

Residencies led to private collectors. Private collectors led to owning and opening a 4,000 sf art gallery.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Listening to comments about the art pieces and the joy “regular” people experience when buying an original art piece.

Contact Info:

• Website: parkvilleartgallery.com