Meet Matt from Paint By Matt

"I saved up all my pocket money as a 14 year old and paid for a vehicle restoration evening class that was available at a college here in Leeds."

Having found the thing he loved to do, Matt saved up again and completed the follow-up class a year later. This led him to enroll in college to start his apprenticeship. Matt still works alongside two of his old tutors from college who he credits for teaching him new things even now.

At 26, Matt is seen by many older vehicle restoration experts as a ‘newbie’ but he has been working on his craft for more than half of his life. His hard work has seen him featured in magazines and at big international shows.

Matt finds prep work intense, but the painting side is the most fun part where he can have fun and be creative.

"The biggest challenge is old paintwork, trying to get past what someone else has done and take it back to a good clean surface."

It’s rewarding creating something from scratch from a bare steel object and adding interesting patterns and colours that nobody has done before.

"I've done some random things. I've painted vintage barber chairs, hair clippers, and trainers."

Matt has also painted props for music concerts and credits one of the most random things he’s painted as a 6-metre mannequin with its arms spread out wide, which was hung from the ceiling in Leeds train station.

"I think I’ll always be painting. I started as a kid and will probably still be doing it as an old man!"

Where He Works

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