Matthew Wheelock

Matthew Wheelock is a father,husband and sometimes artist and poet from Cincinnati,Ohio.

“in regards to spiritual life,i’d venture to say that all my time up to when i started painting a bit was a lot of prayers repeated without feeling,copied spiritual vocabulary,everything done for show,and no real self-examination. also around this time i was transitioning from gaudiya vaisnavism(hare krsna) to an external understanding of christianity(no matter how hard the desert fathers & mothers,thomas merton and other spiritual teachers asked me to be more authentic and more honest).

some pieces incorporate the mrdanga drum,which hare krsna devotees are often seen playing while chanting in public. of all thing things that stuck from krsna days,this two headed drum probably has had the most impact symbolically on my understanding. the vibration it produces is often referred to as ‘transcendental’-perhaps it speaks right to the soul. the mrdanga also has a tactile quality;it’s body is made of clay. i try to exaggerate the texture of the drum in my representations,whether in paint(with thick lines or ‘ribs’) or ink (various ’styles’ or designs based in imagination).
later pieces pay homage to the sayings of the desert fathers & mothers(early christians of the middle east,specifically egypt,palestine & syria),folk art sign painters and catholic worker picket signs.

i’ve worked on both canvas & canvas board but also appreciate using materials from my immediate surroundings(benches,bed slats,wooden planks,boxes,etc.). i usually use acrylic paints & inks. i’ve played a little bit with gouache & ink on paper. i’ve also produced a small selection of blockprint images(some used for covers of small-run zines,some used for cards or individual prints).”

you can check out Matthew’s blog at: moderncommunities.blogspot.com