Matt Rinard is an American born artist living in
New Orleans,
Louisiana.
Born in
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the List of municipalities in Mississippi, seventh largest city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, with a population of 41,148 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and an estimated population in 2018 of 36,347. It is the count ...
on October 24, 1964, he is the son of an Admiral in the
United States Navy. By the time he was 16 he had moved to six different states. He attended N.O.C.C.A.
New Orleans Center for Creative Arts in 1980 and abandoned the school in 1981 to attend
Holy Cross High School in the
Lower Ninth Ward. He received a bachelor's degree from
Florida State University
Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the st ...
in Graphic Design in 1987 and continued his artistic endeavors at the
New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts
The New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts is a fine arts school in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Overview
The New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts was founded in 1978 by Auseklis Ozols, inspired by the model of Thomas Eakins and the Pennsylvania Academy o ...
from 1990 to 2003 under the tutelage of
Auseklis Ozols
Auseklis Ozols (born September 22, 1941) is a Latvian-born American artist and professor based in New Orleans. Ozols has been active in the fields of oil painting, watercolor painting, ink, and photography.
Biography
Auseklis Ozols was born in ...
.
In 1988 Matt started his own publishing company Spilled Inc. producing aquatint
lithographs. His first publisher was Persian Boy Publishing producing limited edition hand pulled serigraphs.
His publisher Roger Bogle was murdered in 1992. This unfortunate event forced Matt to produce and publish his own artwork out of his Spilled Inc. studio on Orleans Avenue in the
French Quarter.
In 1998 he opened his own gallery on Royal Street next to Rodrique's Blue Dog Gallery.
In 2001 he caught the eye of the legendary publisher Jack Solomon owner of S2art enterprises. S2art published the works of
Erté,
Tom Everhart
Tom Everhart (born May 21, 1952, in Washington, D.C.) is an American artist.
Early life and education
Everhart began his undergraduate studies at the Yale School of Art and Architecture in 1970. In 1972 he participated in an independent study ...
,
Ron Wood,
Stanley Mouse,
Gordon Parks,
Rafał Olbiński
Rafał Olbinski (born February 21, 1943) is a Polish illustrator, painter, and educator, living in the United States. He is considered one of the major representatives of the Polish School of Posters.
Biography
Olbinski was born in Kielce, Pola ...
and many other noteworthy 20th-century artists. S2Art produced hand pulled lithographs of Matt's creation on an 1810
Voirin French Press. These are the same
lithographic presses that
Toulouse-Lautrec used in the 1800s. He produced the first four lithographs in the S2 atelier in Soho, New York. The following lithographs were printed in their
Las Vegas atelier under the master pressman Ray Mazza. Matt Rinard works primarily in
gouache a highly pigmented and opaque watercolor. He depicts animals displaying very human characteristics and the work is best described as post
pop art. His paintings and prints are also prized for their bold composition and vibrant colors, but it is his quirky sense of humor and his subject matter that have won him a devoted following among pet owners around the world.
In August 2005
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
hit
New Orleans and put 4 feet of water in Matt's studio/home in Lake Vista. This prompted him to move to
Vail, Colorado until his home could be rebuilt. In July, 2006 he returned to
New Orleans and reopened his gallery and studio. He received much support from his fan base in Germany and the United States. He works primarily in gouache which is an opaque watercolor. He currently resides in New Orleans in the house that was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
In July 2013 Gallery Rinard was asked to vacate its gallery location after being there for 15 years due to the sale of the building. In 6 months time the gallery was relocated to 3 addresses on
Royal Street Royal Street (french: Rue Royale; es, Calle Real) is a street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. It is one of the original streets of the city, dating from the early 18th century, and is known today for its antique shops, art ga ...
. First location was 813 Royal Street where Matt Rinard shared space with his publisher. In November of the same year the gallery moved to 841 Royal Street which was an old grocery store in the 1940s. His current and final location starting April 1, 2014 is 611 Royal Street next door t
The Court of Two Sisters The ability to find a gallery on
Royal Street Royal Street (french: Rue Royale; es, Calle Real) is a street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. It is one of the original streets of the city, dating from the early 18th century, and is known today for its antique shops, art ga ...
is extremely difficult due to the finite store fronts and the intense competition for a lease.
In November 2018 Matt had a one-man show at the Georg Van Almsick Gallery in Gronau, Germany. "The occasion is the 300th anniversary for the city of New Orleans and the 30 year relationship between the jazz city of Gronau and the cradle of jazz on the Mississippi". This was his 6th one man show at this gallery: April 2002,April 2005, October 2005, April 2008, April 2010 and November 2018.
In 2019 Matt Rinard was again selected to create the official poster for the Crescent City Classic in New Orleans. This is the 41st year the world renowned 10k race has been held in this city.
Matt Rinard has had numerous one-man shows in
Las Vegas,
New Orleans,
Los Angeles,
Gronau,
Bonn, and
Berlin. He is the official artist for the New Orleans parade
Barkus. He was the official artist for the New Orleans
Ironman
Iron Man, Ironman or Ironmen may refer to:
*Nathaniel "Iron Man" Avery (1939–1985), American caddie for Arnold Palmer
*Travis Fulton (1977–2021), American mixed martial arts fighter
*Gunnar Graps (1951–2004), Estonian musician
*Mick Murphy ...
70.3. He was the official artist for the French Quarter Festival for six straight years 1991 to 1997. He was the official artist for the
Crescent City Classic
The Crescent City Classic is an annual 10-kilometer race held in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Mac DeVaughn founded the Classic and held the first race in 1979. The race was originally held in the Fall, but the race is now held the Saturda ...
in 1999.
Philanthropic events
Matt Rinard helped raise money for several nonprofit organizations. In 1998 he became the official artist for The Krewe of Barkus. Since then, the organization has raised over 1 million dollars to donate to local animal shelters. In 2019 and 2022 he won Mr. Legs for Bridgehouse/Gracehouse collectively raising over $350,000 for their substance abuse center. He is on the board of several nonprofit organizations in New Orleans and aides in procuring money for Hogs for the Cause the number one fundraiser for Pediatric Cancer Outreach. In addition to these charities Matt helps the New Orleans Ballet Association and The Royal Street Arts District. His greatest commitment however will always be for the welfare of animals.
References
External links
*http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/artist-matt-rinard/262
*https://web.archive.org/web/20120513110338/http://www.galleryrinard.com/
*http://www.urbandogmagazine.com/archive_wags1.php?id=12
*http://www.fascinationst.com
*http://www.jackgallery.com/mattrinard.html
*http://www.qart.com/matt-rinard-biographies/7488
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rinard, Matt
1964 births
Living people
People from Meridian, Mississippi
Artists from New Orleans
20th-century American painters
American male painters
21st-century American painters
21st-century American male artists
20th-century American male artists