Since his earliest memories, Matt Harline has been and wanted to be an artist. After high school his life took a 41 year detour to be an electrical / computer hardware engineer. Through college and throughout his engineering career, he would draw, paint, and take art classes when time permitted. Then in 2016, his life was turned upside down in a bicycle accident. A traumatic brain injury changed everything, ending his ability to work as an engineer, but giving him the time to do what he has always dreamed of, creating works of art.

Matt’s artwork explores the peace, strength, and resilience of nature and people, reflecting his journey of recovery from brain injury. His chosen subject matter of trees represents the strength and determination to survive and thrive that he finds in his new life and seeks to communicate through his art. Trees like the great basin bristlecone pine, the California coast redwood, and oak embody that character and those qualities and provide an endless source of inspiration for him that, hopefully, resonates with those who view his work.