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“I focus on public art because it has the potential to enrich many people’s lives.

I create aerial calligraphy that captures gestures. My work bridges representation and abstraction, with figural subjects that are recognizable by people of all ages and diverse backgrounds. Images often resolve as viewers move and see the work from different perspectives, creating “aha” moments of discovery. Although my work involves a level of abstraction, it is often inspired by nature and based in close observation of plants and animals.

I was born in Michigan, went to school in Colorado, and live in Seattle. I have studied engineering, studio art, physics, math, welding, and art history. I have held jobs in architecture, antique repair, sign fabrication, stained glass, building maintenance, and tutoring, among others.

My work as an artist is an extension of my experience as an architect, which includes public design review and permitting as well as extensive and successful collaboration with public agencies, builders, and other stakeholders. I have completed several large public commissions and my work is being shown in a number of parks and cities.

I developed my appreciation for materials and the ways things are made through practice in metal fabrication and application in industry. I have created art in many media, but keep coming back to the metal shop.

I have been making things all my life. When I was five my dad set me up with a workbench and tools. I spent countless hours making things that I thought of as functional, even though the function was often mysterious or imaginary. I haven’t changed all that much.

Thank you for taking time to learn about my work.” – Matt Babcock

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