Visual Artist and Poet
Attorney Emerita

Matthew is a natural born leader that inspires youth, young adults, college students and adults to give themselves permission to be themselves through my artwork & personality along with the art of others while teaching them to have healthy creative releases to problem solve in ways that are creative, mindful, responsible, respectful, inclusive, healing, & restorative so that they are loving & kind to each other & themselves while appreciating their beauty & differences.

Matthew is a unique ability to select an activity from playdough sculpting to team play building with Legos to gazing at and analyzing an art piece or song to leading outdoor adventures in bee whispering to flying to unicorn dragon land then connecting that activity, art, music, or outdoor adventure to legal, social, and behavioral issues through restoratively healing thought jolting questioning and analysis to help youth develop their social, emotional, and professional skillsets to enhance the diverse world we live in.

Matthew has dynamic skill set in art, poetry, community outreach, inclusion/diversity, educational support, visual thinking strategies, restorative practices, mental health, business legal development, fundraising, volunteer recruitment/management, youth mentorship, and advocacy along with excellent interpersonal skills.

As an artist taught by The Divine, Matthew is an attorney that is Way Too Creative For Law. Matthew has a degree in Criminal Justice/Legal Studies from Wayne State University, and a Juris Doctor Degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Matthew is trained in Restorative Practices by the International Institute for Restorative Practices, and Non-violent Crisis Intervention by the Crisis Prevention Institute. Matthew's Bar Admissions include California, United States District Court for the Northern District of California, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and Michigan.

Matthew's painting Angel Saves (2018, latex and acrylic on canvas) displayed below was featured in the October 2018 Detroit Institute of Arts/Detroit Film Theatre Volunteer Virtual Art Exhibition.

In March 2019, Matthew met Guardian Angel and Grammy award winner artist Francesca Battistelli, who loved Matthew's artwork. With God's grace Francesca is working on making Matthew's dream of her putting music to his song lyrics so she can sing them to the world and placing his artwork in her promotional materials. Meeting Francesca and getting the opportunity to present artwork and ideas to Francesca for consideration was a monumental milestone for Matthew in smashing through artistry and life goals. Matthew is pictured above with Francesca at Ridge Point Community Church in Holland, Michigan on her The Own It Tour. Matthew's hope is that one day out of the blue Francesca will call and tell Matthew she has made Matthew's dreams come true.