About Matthew
Baltimore City
“Art is my story, my personal Glory. We will all one day leave this earth... Art will live forever.”
— Mateo Blu
Matthew Rice, also known by his creative moniker Mateo Blu, was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. His humble beginnings were like that of many other inner city youth growing up surrounded by constant temptation, negativity and chaos.
Mateo's story were art and football. Both gave him the escape that he needed allowing him to grow.… more
— Mateo Blu
Matthew Rice, also known by his creative moniker Mateo Blu, was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. His humble beginnings were like that of many other inner city youth growing up surrounded by constant temptation, negativity and chaos.
Mateo's story were art and football. Both gave him the escape that he needed allowing him to grow.… more
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Writings on the Walls
WORDS TO WRITING, LAYERED WITH FEELINGS, EMOTION, HISTORY, PERSONAL VIEWPOINTS CAPTURED IN A VISUAL COLLAGE THAT REFLECTS THE UNTOLD, UNSUNG, UNLEASHED WITH NO FILTER OR LANE. WELCOME TO THE HIGHWAY OF CREATIVE THOUGHT CAPTURED IN THE PERFECT BLEND OF ABSRACT AND STREET ART.
Mateo Blu Meets Roy Lichtenstein
In 2008, I traveled throughout the Southwest United States to create a series of murals that were inspired by the work of Roy Lichtenstein. For this series of murals, I was Commissioned by Park Seven Investment Group to take his style and infuse it with my own.
Penn State
FROM WE ARE PENN STATE TO WE ARE ART. THIS SERIES HIGHLIGHTS THE LAYERS IT TAKES TO BUILD AND UNDERSTAND THE BOND FROM PAST TO FUTURE PSU STUDENTS, FANS, AND ALUMNI. FROM LIVING ROOMS, TO STUDIES, TO MAN CAVES, THIS SERIES REPRESENTS THE PRIDE OF THE NITTANY LIONS.
No Child Left
This series pictorially portrays the reality of inequality that still present in society and the public school system. Making this his first collaborative series, Mateo Blu's #artistnetwork sheds light upon past memories as a student, as well as what youth presently encounter now and in the near future if positive change isn’t made.
Life Lessons
THIS SERIES IS AS SIMPLE AS ITS TITLE BUT GOES AS DEEP AS THE EXPERIENCE SHARED BY ITS CREATOR. LIFE, CULTURE, SOCIETY, GOVERNMENT, RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY HAVE SERVED AS SOME OF MATEO BLU’S STRONGEST INSPIRATIONS IN HIS CREATIVE JOURNEY.
Feelings Change
BASED STRONGLY ON THE COMPLEXITY OF HUMANITY, COVERING SUBJECTS SUCH AS LOVE TO RAW HISTORICAL DEPICTIONS, LAYERED IN A COLLABORATION OF STYLES SINGULARLY USED IN SEVERAL MATEO BLU SERIES'. FEELINGS COMPETE WITH CREATIVE REACTION IN THIS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING SERIES OF WORK. NO JUDGEMENT, JUST FEELINGS.
Expression
WHERE DEFINITIONS AND WORDS STOP, THIS SERIES BEGINS. THERE IS NO SUBJECT INVOLVING EXPRESSIONS AND EMOTION THAT CAN'T MAKE THIS EVER GROWING SERIES. THE STYLES COVERED HERE CREATIVELY DISPLAY THE LIMITLESS WAYS THAT WE CAN EXPRESS OURSELVES.
Blu
THE BLU SERIES IS THE MUSE OF RAW EMOTION AND MUSIC, MIXED WITH AN OPAQUE STORY WITHIN CREATION. IT HELPED BIRTH THE FOUNDATION OF THE ABSTRACT STYLE THAT MATEO BLU ART IS WELL KNOWN FOR. THE SERIES USES THE EMOTIONALLY BALANCED HUE OF BLUE AND A FEW SUPPORTIVE COLORS TO HEIGHTEN PARTICULAR MOODS CAPTURED.
Abstract
You could compare the depth of this series to an artist’s abstract diary. There are no limits to color, subject, style, size, or medium during this journey. Welcome to the world where abstraction exceeds word and definition to depict a view and look at life shown and told in Mateo Blu's unique way.
Athlethic
THE ULTIMATE ABSTRACT FORM OF TEAM WORK… WITH A FORMULA THAT INCLUDES LIFE EXPERIENCE, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PLAY, MEMORY, RELATION OF LIFE TO SPORT AND PURE EXPRESSION. USING AMERICAN FOOTBALL AS THE FOUNDATION, MATEO BRINGS A DEEPER THAN CANVAS UNDERSTANDING TO THIS ATHLETIC WORLD OF ABSTRACTION.