Artist Profile: Matt Panuska

Matt Panuska is an artist and illustrator living in Asheville, North Carolina, originally from west Texas. He makes drawings, paintings, objects, and wood carvings.

Name:

Matt Panuska

Where do you live?

Asheville, NC

Favorite bird?

Red-tailed Hawk

What do you seek to communicate in your work?

I’m interested in vibrant, exuberant, maximalist imagery and building worlds filled with unique characters.

How has nature been a source of inspiration for you?

I draw on floral forms and natural imagery as a baseline when staring a picture. I feel appreciation of nature is a universal human experience, and is so powerful to pull from when creating an imaginary world.

Tell us about your most memorable bird experience.

In spring 2020 a red-tailed hawk would perch on a post in my backyard and hunt for mice, insects, etc. I would go out every day and watch it. I would try to move closer to it each day, eventually getting within an arm’s reach. Then one day it stopped showing up.