The grazers had finally returned to the watering plains after a long day of munching, yet Soffiz the Kudu was still bursting with energy. While the rest of the herd eased into their usual evening calm, she adjusted her ballet skirt — a treasured accessory she insisted improved her balance — and prepared to perform her inimitable routine: the Kudu Prance.
Kudu are famously sociable, happiest in small herds, though they remain shy toward most outsiders. Especially lions.
Soffiz, however, had spent the entire afternoon practising her grace between mouthfuls of grass, keeping one eye on her footwork and the other on the scrub for hyenas. Tonight she intended to finish with a flourish: a brand-new move she called the Manbat Position.
A few days earlier, she had watched a creature leap from a high ravine, plunging into the valley at a speed no sane animal would attempt. In broad daylight, Soffiz was quite certain it was a real “manbat”. Just when it seemed he was about to have a disagreement with the ridge, he unfurled a strange contraption shaped like enormous elephant ears. With a whoosh, he drifted gently to the ground.
“Jumping over dry riverbeds is daring enough for me,” Soffiz muttered as she stretched, “Manbats think they’re vultures soaring through the sky.”
“They are vultures,” Schrodyn piped, her best friend forever.
“Vultures flap..” Soffiz replied, pleased by her own analogy, “..Manbats just stiffen their arm-wings and freefall like boulders. Maddest creatures on the planet — excluding honey badgers, obviously.”
Schrodyn nodded with absolute seriousness, “There can be no disagreement on honey badgers. Ever!”
“Alvis Dede Wimsey III” [23rd April 2025] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, acrylic on opened cardboard box (approximate 12in x 8in (31cm x 21cm), 8000 x 8000 pixels with black border background for social media and online presentation.
Alvis Dede Wimsey III
“Alvis Dede Wimsey III” is a fun paint play with mixed paint in my ‘peghead’ artistic style whereby guitar, violin, viola-like instrument pegs usually compose part of the portrait. With this particular work I feel the ‘pegs’ aptly took the form of piano keys!
You can rotate the painting upside-down 180 degrees to see a second portrait of a different character.
“Alvis Dede Wimsey III” is a subconscious portrait of a definitive jazz musician and composer.
Did I know it subconsciously represented a portrait?
Absolutely not.
I didn’t realise it would become a ‘portrait’. I was having far too much fun doodling to see anything beyond ‘Van Gogh-like crop lines’. I began perceiving an aerial landscape of agricultural fields.
The Garden with Flowers by Vincent van Gogh [1988, Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France] is one of my all-time favourite Impressionist works, both visually and technically in terms of composition.
Remember dash dots? Now.. you.. know.. how my art brain works a little better. I’m inspired by past & present Masters whilst adding my own Morse-code blend to the paint-penciled mix.
Van Gogh somewhat composed drawings and paintings through the use of dashes and dots. Pointillism to some extent. In similar manner, “Alvis Dede Wimsey III” hints my personal interest in abstract techniques.
I had viewed social media reels of soul, blues and jazz artists in the week. I’m still enjoying listening, researching and thinking about those notable music genre artists even as I write.
Around the time of making “Alvis Dede Wimsey III” I also made “Gold Sun Paint Play” on another empty opened cardboard paint packaging box.
Raster Man
Proof of historical music culture presenting in my work is found with “Raster Man” pictured here:
“Raster Man” [14th/early hours 15th May 2025] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, acrylic on A3 (42cm x 30cm) gesso primed 5mm wooden board, 5000 x 6734 pixels.
Completed in three distinct drafts very late evening (finished prior to 2325hrs 14th), then after midnight (inspired to add brushworked Ivory Black surrounds, 15th) and then finally continuing palette the morning of 15th May (finished prior to 1053hrs).
The latter draft new Cadmium Orange texture for the Rastercap. I sang delightedly.
Initially, this composition began as an abstract in landscape until I saw potential for a Pop Art portrait.
At the very last I added eyes, mouth and a nose with Ivory Black surrounds to harmonise colour.
(quote from my published social media)
With the Vatican having elected a new Pope (Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost) in May 2025 I guess subconscious working occurred here. If you turn the canvas clockwise 90 degrees into landscape, this is how I began the wood panel.
“When I made Raster Man i had no idea the new Pope (Leo XIV) is of Creole (Haitian I believe from newspapers) heritage. I personally view Raster Man as any individual Caribbean man embracing their culture. I do also like any perceived association with a distinct person. Bob Marley, Pope Leo XIV et al..
.. It wasn’t until i realised a portrait potential that the white (cap) became a potentially perceivable structure around a face. Art is our subconscious shaping canvases, sculptures, pottery. Picasso and Basquiat are undoubtedly most influential in these kind of works by me.” – my quote 18th May.
“Raster Man” is visually unique, however, experiencing a physical artwork in person is different to viewing a 2D artwork online.
Ivory Mask
Next is “Ivory Mask” which I originally titled “Insect Mask” before preferring the former name:
“Ivory Mask” [digital artwork, early afternoon 15th May 2025] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, digital artwork from pressed Ivory Black acrylic, font ‘Destroy’, 5000 x 4000 pixels.
“Ivory Mask” shown immediately above is a digital artwork derived from mixed Ivory Black paint, pressed into Notepad paper, folded at the centre.
I added the mi to create intrigue. The font I chose is called ‘Destroy‘, with individual letters suggesting erosion, damage or decay. The self-destructing words of a cassette tape perhaps?
As to the artwork, what does the mask mean?
Can we fictionalise a purpose to this strange disguise?
A superhero, alien or an ancient artifact with magical properties?
“Ivory Mask – pressed painting” [early hours, 15th May 2025] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, pressed Ivory Black acrylic on lined Notepad Paper, 5000 x 4000 pixels.
With the Ivory Black paint having already finished the outline to “Raster Man”, I folded the Notepad paper in half, tapped around with my fingers..
.. then opened the paper to produce the very press-painting you see here!
Ivory chosen for the artwork title simply appreciating the beauty to the colour. Natural sunlight showcased the intricate leaf-like structure created whilst unfolding.
Scrollhead Caricature
Finally, we have the very vibrant “Scrollhead Caricature”:
“Scrollhead Caricature” [17th March 2025] by Matt The Unfathomable Artist, acrylic on A4 250gsm mixed media Artist’s paper, 5000 x 3611 pixels.
I produced “Scrollhead Caricature” during and after making “y intersects b” [14th – 17th March 2025] from a paint play with the mixed paint on paper.
(quote from my published social media)
“Scrollhead Caricature” is made quite quickly. I thought of Picasso whilst creating this highly original work. A sense of fun, play and textural contrasts.
There are a few themes to this piece, including Shakespeare.
The Unfathomable Artist 