Visual Art – Baltimore

Matthew Rice, also known by his creative moniker Mateo Blu, was born and raised in Baltimore, MD, U.S.A. His humble beginnings were like that of many other inner city youth growing up surrounded by temptation and negativity. Outside of having a loving family and a strong spiritual belief, two things that aided in changing Mateo\'s story were: art and football. Both gave him the escape that he needed allowing him to grow. With this newfound focus and discipline, Matthew went on to excel in both realms. Although his love for art began as a child where he used \'borrowed\' paper for sketching, he didn’t find himself in art until he reached college where he received duel degrees in History and Integrative arts. In football he flourished winning championships in high school and on the collegiate level at Penn State, later affording him the opportunity to play at the highest level of the game in the NFL. Mateo has been blessed to successfully pursue his purpose; his clients include businesses, art collectors, interior decorators, professional athletes, foreign political dignitaries, and nonprofits. Entering his 10th year in art, he has become an international artist whose abstract creations bring innovative depth and storytelling to a style that can often be seen as random by the untrained eye. Always remembering where he came from, the nonprofit Blu Art Foundation was created to give back to communities in need, through art education and mentoring.