Who is Matt DeFord?
Matt’s form of expression is multidimensional and is known around many parts of the world. He’s had exhibits from New Jersey to New Mexico, from Cuba to Canada. His many forms of art involve working with different materials, mediums, and artistic techniques such as sculpture and illustration, fabric and wire installation, and more.
But before being known in the world of art, who was Matt DeFord as a kid?
In an interview written by Murphy in 2024 for the Purple Media Network, the official student media of Northwestern State University of Louisiana, DeFord shares,
“My mother said she knew ever since I was little what I would do,”[....] “As soon as I could hold things, I wanted to make things and draw on things, so she just knew that’s what I was going to do with my life.”
And so, from his curiosities as a young boy, inspired by the illustrated, encyclopedic picture book he owned called "People" by Peter Speir, he opened up the allure of shapes and forms of faces and the unique differences of people across the globe from different cultures. Then, eventually, as he learned more about art, his influences grew and included other visual artists like Alexander Calder, Cornelia Parker, and Andy Goldsworthy. Matt DeFord found art ever present and evolving in his consciousness and subconsciousness.
(Image of a page in People by Peter Speir)
And art he pursued from childhood to the present, continually nurturing that desire and sharing his passion as a student and budding artist, later a locally and nationally-shown exhibitor and educator.
His journey reveals his milestones and other exhibitions from his days at the Brigham Young University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Sculpture in August 2001.
(Image of Matt DeFord, featured in Birmingham's publication, Scroll, in 1998.)
He then took up further mastery in fine arts in Sculpture and graduated with an MFA at Kansas State University in December 2004, before ultimately joining Northwestern State University (NSU) in 2005.
Since then, he’s become a cornerstone in the Louisiana’s art scene not only as an Associate Professor in NSU but also as collaborator, curator, organizer, and advocate of the arts, extending his influence outside the classroom and within the community giving the new generation of artists a nurturing and safe space to grow.
More About His Work
As of this writing he’s continued to burn with passion for more than just teaching, he continues to create his own art.
In a write-up about his sculpture Marked for Delivery 1, Trudeau (2007) writes:
DeFord’s work is “an amalgamation,” he says, “of found objects, cast metal, sound, light, wood, cast silicone, and welded steel. It touches on mortality and its limitations, the transition to death, and then to rebirth.”
(Image of Matt DeFord’s other work, exhibited as a year-long installation in the sculpture garden at the University of Louisiana at Monroe)
Then in 2018, Matt Deford got in touch with his love of words, a logophile from birth, and started exploring comic illustrations related to words connected to relevant themes from our day-to-day existence.
If you try to find his work in social media, exhibits, and publications, you will be immersed in sceneries, imaginative worlds, deep and random thoughts in doodles, line art, and more.
Beyond his immersive and contemplative sculptures, Matt DeFord has a knack for witty jokes and expression of ideas as well as a series of colorful reflection of people and nature around.
Crafting Creativity With HATCH
In @mattdeford’s latest collaboration with HATCH, we have partnered with @monteverdepens_offcial, to make a cool-toned teal with silver shimmer fountain pen ink inspired by Matt’s favorite ink and a cherished winter memory.
See the Moneteverde x @mattdeford Medicine Hat Winter Teal Ink, blending the crisp beauty of frost with warmth and nostalgia.
“This is an ink with a backstory! 29 years ago I met Julie. We were in an art class together and started dating. We began getting serious and started to talk about marriage. Over Thanksgiving, we went up to see her family. They lived in the city of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. I came from Houston, Texas and was immediately struck by how very cold it was! There was so much snow! The roads were so slick. I also remember the beautiful frosty trees and the acoustic silence caused by the thick snow. Julie told me that her hometown at the time in the mid 90s was mostly teal.”
(Image of Matt DeFord and wife Julie on their wedding day.)
This HATCH exclusive ink has a story that carries a tender mix of nostalgia, love, and artistry. It’s about how a deeply personal memory, when Matt met Julie, fell in love, and experienced the wintry beauty of Medicine Hat, was transformed into something tangible and creative. And now it’s something we can share to fellow creatives and fountain pen and ink enthusiasts.
This can be your new favorite ink; full of meaning, helping you write and draw each line with heart.
Curious about @mattdeford?
Visit his HATCH Creative page here! Know more about him and his inspirations. Discover other HATCH collaborations brought to life through his creative vision!
Bibliography
Hawks, K. (1998, April 14). Student, uses bright colors to bring pieces of Africa to Rexburg. Scroll: Artistic Impulse, p. 37. Brigham Young University.
Trudeau, R. (2007, July 15). Matt DeFord: Sculpture from a nationally-shown multi-media artist at Artspace. Retrieved from http://shreveport.blogspot.com/
DeFord, M. (2008, September). Favorite Artists Part 1 and 2. Retrieved from https://mattdeford.blogspot.com/
DeFord, M. (2010, April 12). Work at [the] University of Louisiana at Monroe. Retrieved from https://mattdeford.blogspot.com/
Atnip, A. (2023, February 13). NSU is hosting a ceramics class. Retrived from https://purplemedianetwork.com/15849/arts-living/nsu-is-hosting-a-ceramics-class/
Murhy, M. (2025, February 21). NSU art faculty’s work on display shows their burning passion for more than just teaching. Retrieved from https://purplemedianetwork.com/17133/arts-living/nsu-art-facultys-work-on-display-shows-their-burning-passion-for-more-than-just-teaching/
DEGALLERY (2024, November), Current Exhibit. Retrived from https://degallery.us/current-exhibit/nggallery/album/matt-deford-collection
By Some Folks at EndlessPens
