Matt Richards
Artist-in-Residence
Fragile
2026 | Oil on canvas
Born in Rhode Island, Matt Richards began making art at age five and later studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design. His personal practice spans painting, abstraction, figures, landscapes, and both traditional and digital media. Matt has been an Artist-in-Residence with AWAHIH for 12 years, bringing both his artistic experience and a deeply personal understanding of illness to his work with patients and families.
In His Own Words
What drew you to Art with a Heart in Healthcare?
I have a personal family experience with leukemia. I discovered AWAHIH while visiting my mom at work, then moved to Jacksonville and volunteered until I was hired.
I knew it was a place where my skill and life experience could be used to help people.
What are you most drawn to in your own art?
Painting, abstraction, figures, and landscapes. I love learning new mediums and techniques.
For client projects, I work in both digital and traditional art based on the purpose of the project.
Tell us about Fragile.
It represents the necessary balance of holding space for patients, families, and coworkers while being mindful of the delicate situations we all face.
How has your work with AWAHIH influenced you as an artist?
Besides being an amazing place to practice my skill through a variety of channels, it has helped me recognize the responsibility we all have as creatives to be intentional with what we create.
What do you hope viewers carry with them after seeing the piece?
I hope viewers see that even in moments of heartbreak or brokenness, beauty, warmth, and hope can still be found.
The fractured heart contrasts with the warmth and movement of the piece, reminding us that those things can exist simultaneously. For me, that contrast also reflects the role of an artist working in healthcare spaces: recognizing that pain and hope can coexist, navigating complex and often fragile situations with sensitivity and care, and bringing light into difficult spaces.
Fragile reflects the balance Matt has learned to navigate through 12 years of creating in healthcare spaces, where pain and hope do not cancel one another out, but can exist at the same time.
