I depict life frankly and critically, as visual surfaces and interior qualities. Instead of verisimilitude, I strive to discover and capture what is hidden, emphasizing the implicit and the unspoken.
— Matthew Felix Sun
Full Artist Statement and Curriculum Vitae (3 February 2026) in PDF format available for download.
Recent Awards & Recognitions
- Artist of the Year – Masterful Mind Award, Circle Foundation for the Arts February 2024
- Awards of Artistic Excellence, Circle Quarterly Art Review Competition, December 2023, December 2022, October, July, & May 2021
- Honorable Mention Award, Art Room Gallery Competition, May 2021
- Award of Artistic Excellence, Circle Quarterly Art Review Magazine Contest, May 2021
- “Birches” – 1st 2018 ArtSlant Prize Showcase
- “Night Café” won 9th 2017 ArtSlant Showcase Award
- “Procession” – 6th 2017 ArtSlant Prize Showcase
- “The March of Time” – Honorable Mention Award, Fresh Works VII Juried Exhibition, Harrington Gallery at Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton
Recent Publications
- “Protraction” – Reed Magazine, Issue 159, Spring 2026
- “C Major” and “Interlocked” – Reed Magazine, Issue 158, May 2025
- “Waifs” – Clepsydra, Issue 4, June 2024
- “Morose”, published by Masterful Minds, Vol 1 (Circle Foundation for the Arts), March 2024
- “Languor”, East Bay Artists 2022, December 2022, ArtPush
- “19”, “Wafting”, “Emergence”, and “Bombed Bridge, III” – “Talking Writing”, May 2022
- “Our Winter of Discontent”, “The March of Time”, “The Wall” – Artists of Bay Area (Volume 2), published by Jen Tough Gallery, January 5, 2022
- “Wafting”, East Bay Artists 2021, ArtPush, November 2021
- “Cold Mountains”, “Distant Memory“, “Vigor“, “Settlement” – Pomona Valley Review, Issue 15, August 2021
- “Crow”, RipRap Journal, Volume 43, May 2021
- “Evocation”, Artistonish, Issue 9, April 2021
- “Immaculate” – cover art for Your Impossible Voice, Issue 24, April 2021
- “Postscript” – Artistonish, Issue 8, March 2021
- “Whirring” – Artist Portfolio Magazine, 10 Year Anniversary Issue, November 2020
Competitions and Juried Shows
- Juried exhibition “Spring Awakening” at Marin Society of Artists in San Rafael, CA
- “Human Conditions: Portraits of a Fraying Age“ – solo virtual exhibition (February 1 – March 1, 2026), Gallery 2727, Berkeley, CA
- 50 Years, 50 Artists: A Celebration of the West celebrating CaFÉ’s parent organization, the Creative West turning 50 in 2024!
- Small Works” (November 22, 2024 – January 20, 2025), Art Works Downtown Gallery, San Rafael, CA
- “Small Works“ on Artsy.net (November 10 – January 30, 2024), presented by Jen Tough Gallery
- “Faces” Exhibition – Art Room Online Gallery, (September 30 – October 20, 2023)
- “Beginning: New History and Artistic Growth”, (August 31 – September 14, 2023), BlueStream Gallery, San Francisco, CA
- “Within Sight or From Imagination” Juried Exhibition (August 10 – September 9, 2023) – GearBox Gallery, Oakland, CA
- “Rejuvenation — Winter to Spring“ – solo exhibition (March 24 – June 26, 2023), Albany Community Center Foyer Art Gallery, Albany, CA
- “A World of Its Own“ on Artsy.net (May 15 – Aug. 15 2023), presented by Jen Tough Gallery
- Into the Light on Artsy.net (January 15 – April 15, 2023), presented by Artist Alliance
- Red Dot Miami (Miami Art Week) 2022, represented by Jen Tough Gallery (November 30 – December 4, 2022), Miami, Florida
- Lush on Artsy.net (November 15 – February 15, 2023), presented by Artist Alliance
- Artists Choice 2022– Juried Exhibition (September 27 – November 4, 2022), San Francisco Women Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA
- “Transience“ – solo exhibition (April 2-30, 2022), Wilder Gallery, Lamorinda Arts Council, Orinda, CA
- “Monochromatic One Color: Infinite Possibilities” (Feb 9 – April 9, 2022), O’Hanlon Center for the Arts (online), Mill Valley, CA
- “Imminence“ – solo exhibition (February 4 – March 25, 2022), Donors’ Gallery, Art Works Downtown Galley, San Rafael
- “ARTIST’S VISION 2022” Juried Online Exhibition (January 15 – March 14, 2022), Marin Society of Artists, San Rafael, CA
- “Small Works” (November 19, 2021 – January 23, 2022), Art Works Downtown Gallery, San Rafael, CA
- “Skulls and Roses” – remembrance and rebirth (October 1 – November 12, 2021), Art Works Downtown Gallery, San Rafael, CA
- “Enigma” – Solo Exhibition (September 3-26, 2021) – Gallerie Valerie, Crockett, CA
- “Textures & Patterns” – Art Room Gallery fourth “Open” Art competition, June 2021
- Exhibizone – Spring 2021, (June 1 – 30, 2021), Biafarin Online Exhibition
- “Nature” – Art Room Gallery fourth “Open” Art competition, May 2021
- “City” – Art Room Gallery fourth “Open” Art competition, May 2021
- “Portrait” – Art Room Gallery fourth “Open” Art competition, May 2021
- “Abstract” – Art Room Gallery fourth “Open” Art competition, April 2021
- “Seasons” – Art Room Gallery fourth “Open” Art competition, March 2021
- “Open” Art – Art Room Gallery fourth “Open” Art competition, March 2021
- Exhibizone – Winter 2021, (March 10 – April 10, 2021), Biafarin Online Exhibition
- Fragments, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, Nov. 21 – Dec. 19, 2020
- Justice, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Novato, CA, Nov. 14 – Dec. 24, 2020
- Liberty, Arc Gallery (online), San Francisco, Nov. 10 – Dec. 8, 2018
- Autumn Colors, Berkeley Expressions Gallery, Sep. 15 – Dec. 7, 2018
- Unity, Berkeley Central Arts Passage, June 16 – Oct. 13, 2018
- Summer Jazz, Berkeley Expressions Gallery, June 2 – Sep. 7, 2018
- Color Speaks, Berkeley Central Arts Passage, Sep 2017 – Jan 2018
- Traveling the World, Berkeley Central Arts Passage, Jun 2016 – Sep 2017
- Fresh Works VII, Pleasanton Firehouse Arts Center (Harrington Gallery), May 6 – June 3, 2017
- Heart and Soul, Berkeley Expressions Gallery, Feb. 11 – May 12, 2017
- Pets and Animals, Berkeley Central Arts Passage, Sep 2016 – Jan 2017
- Literature and Art, Berkeley Central Arts Passage, Jun-Sep, 2016
- Crowded by Beauty, McGuire Real Estate Gallery, Jun-Oct, 2016
- Life with Pets and Animals, Expressions Gallery, Apr-Jul, 2016
- Into the Future, Expressions Gallery, Jan-Apr 2016
- Our Challenged Planet (Berkeley Expressions Gallery Off Site Show), Arts Passage, Berkeley, Nov. 2015 – Feb. 2016
- Does Color Matter?, Expressions Gallery, Oct. 2015 – Jan. 2016
- The Left Coast, Marin Society of Artists, Ross, CA, Sep. – Oct. 2015
- Today’s Artists Interact with Major Art Movements from the Renaissance to the Present (Berkeley Expressions Gallery Off Site Show), Arts Passage, Berkeley, Aug. – Nov. 2015
- Water, Water! Water?, Expressions Gallery, July – Aug. 2015
- HOP, SKIP & JUMP, Expressions Gallery, Apr 2015
- The Crow Show – An Homage to the Raven, The Studio Door, Feb. 2015
- The Golden Years Group Show, Expressions Gallery, Jan. 2015
- 2014 Evergreen Association of Fine Arts Open Exhibition, EAFA Gallery in the Seattle Design Center, Nov. 2014
- Collect! Exhibition and Silent Auction Fundraiser, Berkeley Art Center, Oct. 2014
- Changes: Seasonal, Environmental and Life, Expressions Gallery, Oct. 2014
- “Lake” – “Scapes: Land, Sea and Urban” Juried Exhibition at Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, California, November 2011
- “White Dress” – 4th National Juried Show, Prince Street Gallery, Chelsea, New York City, New York, July 2011
- “Mackerel” – ViewPoint 2009, 41st Annual National Juried Art Competition, Cincinnati Art Club, Ohio, November 2009
- “White Dress” – ViewPoint 2007, 39th Annual National Juried Art Competition, Cincinnati Art Club, Ohio, November 2007
- “Interaction” – 23rd Annual National Juried Exhibition, Berkeley Art Center, July 23 – August 26, 2006
- “Self-Portrait, Black & White“- ViewPoint ’01, 33rd Annual Juried Art Competition, Cincinnati Art Club, Ohio, 2001
- “Piatt Park, Cincinnati, II” – ViewPoint ’97, 2nd National Juried Competition, Cincinnati Art Club, 1997
Selected Shows
- “Street Encounters”, “Metamorphosis”, “Sense of Place”, “Water”, “Labor of Love”, & Corner Store” group show, Gallery 2727, Berkeley, Feb. 2025 through May 2026
- City Art Gallery, San Francisco, California, Jan. 2026 & Dec. 2025, July & Nov. 2024, August, July & Nov. 2023
- Landscape, Studio Trilogy, San Francisco, California, April – August 2011
- “Travel the World”, Artist-Xchange Gallery, San Francisco, Aug. ’10
- “Escape to Summer” Theme Exhibit, Artist-Xchange Gallery, SF, July 2010
- “Wine and Dine” Theme Exhibit, Artist-Xchange Gallery, SF, May 2010
- “Spring Garden” Theme Exhibit, Artist-Xchange Gallery, SF, March 2010
- City Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Dec. 03, 2008 – Jan. 31, 2009
- Member’s Showcase, Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, Dec. ’08 – Jan. ’09
- Artist-Xchange Gallery, San Francisco, California, September 2009
- Residential and Student Service Programs Building, University of California, Berkeley , December, 2007-2020
- Blue Moon Cafe, San Francisco, California, Nov. 2007- Feb. 2008
- City Art Gallery, San Francisco, Dec. ’07-Jan. ’08, Dec. ’06-Jan. ’07
- Member’s Showcase, Berkeley Art Center, Nov. 19 – Dec. 21, 2006
- City Art Gallery, San Francisco, California, August, April ’06 & Dec. 2005
- YMCA Embarcadero, 169 Steuart Street, San Francisco, November 2005
- City Art Gallery, San Francisco, California, February – April 2005
- Artist Xchange Gallery, San Francisco, California, June – September 2004
- City Art Gallery, San Francisco, California, Dec. 2003 & January 2004
- West Side Cafe, Parker @ 9th, Berkeley, California, July 19 – August, 2003
- City Art Gallery, San Francisco, California, February & June 2002
- Resurfacing, a San Francisco Arts Revival, Fine Arts du jour, SF, Sep. ’02
- PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLC. Coporate, San Francisco, 2002 – 2005
- City Art Gallery, San Francisco, Aug. 2001 – April 2002, July – Dec. 2002
- Espresso Roma (One-man show), Berkeley, California, Aug. 1 – 30, 2001
- Far Leaves Tea House (One-man show), Berkeley, Aug. 16 – Nov. 15, ’00
- Purely Physical Fitness (One-man show), San Francisco, June 18 – Aug. 5, ’00
- Farmhouse Web Company Corporate Building, Oakland, May ’00 – Apr. ’01
- Chow Restaurant (One-person show), San Francisco, January 5th – April 4th, 2000
- Artizmo Gallery, San Anselmo, California, October 1999 – January 2000
- Associate Member Annual Group Show, Cincinnati Art Club, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1997
Teaching
- Amsterdam Art, Berkeley, California, A Modern Approach to Landscape Painting, December 1 & 8, 2001
Education
- UC Extension, University of California, Berkeley, Painting Workships, 2020-2025
- Computer Art Institute, San Francisco, California, Multimedia/Internet Program, 1998-99
- Cincinnati Art Academy, Cincinnati, Ohio, classes in fine and commercial art, 1996-97
- Lilia Obrath, Cincinnati, Ohio, private instruction in oil painting, 1996
- Roland Huston, Cincinnati, Ohio, private instruction in oil painting, 1995
Email Matthew Felix Sun: oatlantis@gmail.com
Phone
415.496.6165
Studio Visit / Commissions
You are invited to visit my studio at the scheduled time, and please call or email for additional studio visits.
Accept commissions.