Matthew Breedlove is a local Leawood-based artist creating colorful acrylic paintings that offer a look into his vibrant world.
“I am 19 years old and go to school at the Blue Valley 18-21 program and Johnson County Community College’s CLEAR program,” says Breedlove. “I have always done art for as long as I can remember. My grandma and aunt are artists, and we've done art together since I was really little. My art is full of colors. It reminds me of a rainbow. I use bright colors to make lines and shapes using pallet knives and brushes.”
CLEAR stands for College Learning Experiences, Activities and Resources, and is a continuing education program for adults with disabilities. Breedlove is autistic and uses art as a creative outlet to express himself. His brilliant hand-mixed paints do the talking as his paintbrushes dance across the canvas, reaching out to the viewer with a contagious energy of pure happiness.
“My art helps me with my autism because doing art helps me with my emotions. Doing art helps me relax and stay focused. I’m inspired to do art because it makes me happy and feel joyful. It makes me smile a lot!”
Breedlove’s parents have nurtured his passion by giving him his own personal art studio at home.
“My mom and dad gave me the room that used to be our dining room. Now it has all my paints and canvases.”
Breedlove’s first solo art exhibit was in 2017—since then, he’s participated in several local art exhibitions and shows. He’s currently part of the traveling 2020 Expressions Art Exhibition hosted by The Whole Person, which showcases artists with disabilities and celebrates their abilities and unique talents. The exhibition will remain on display at multiple venues through February 2021. To see the complete list of sites and dates for the tour, visit thewholeperson.org/expressions.
To purchase Breedlove’s artwork, visit his Facebook page at Matthew’s Art or online at matthewbreedlove.com. A portion of his sales is donated to local autism advocacy groups. For more information, Matthew’s mother, Leslie, can be contacted directly at leslie.breedlove@yahoo.com.
