Artist Bio
Growing up on the East End of Long Island Matthew Raynor spent the majority of his summers at the beach or on the water. As he Grew his interests gravitated towards water sports . And to his surprise He stumbled upon a new passion, hobby, and Occupation. He became a deep-sea fisherman and Bay-man. Finding the perfect career he Chronicled his offshore adventures with a Nikon. Another new passion was created. Photography. During the time not spent at sea he founded a deep love of travel. Spending winters in the likes of the Far East, south America, Europe and the Caribbean. Matthew had found an equilibrium and a deep contentment with his existence. But After three back-to-back seven-day fishing Expeditions Matthew's chronic tendentious flared up. He found relief in daily polar plunges in early spring. On one such day He suffered a horrid and unexpected injury. While diving with his close friend Jerome he broke 5 vertebrae in his neck. Matthew passed out face Down in the emerald frigid waters and drifted out to sea. only to be saved and revived by his close friend. Despite the extraordinarily spiritual near death experience his life as he knew it was over. Matthew was airlifted to Stony Brook where he spent the next three months in various hospitals. Upon returning home the Final prognosis was grim. Matthew lost feeling and movement in 85% of his body including his hands and forearms. his problems grew in enormity as Medicaid’s Long-term care department Completely failed him. No caretaking. Fear, Fear so deep Matthew had not an inkling of its likes. Not on the roughest Offshore excursions, the deepest free dives or the nastiest surf. Unable to perform the simplest tasks such as feeding himself or using the bathroom he found himself starting a new life. One Completely unknown and extraordinarily challenging. This new life was certainly an adventure but would it be one that he could grow to enjoy? as time went on the list of things, he could do grew from just being able to watch TV to flying a photography drone and operating a computer. With the Ability to immerse himself with the electronic world a whole new series of opportunities opened up to him. He picked up his old passion of photography and ran with it. After a myriad of successful art shows he started editing and producing his own YouTube videos. It seems healing was to be found in creating. And Art would be The saving grace.
hes recently launched his new clothing line at BellusDecorus.com and is working on a new series of mixed mediavart for gallery showings. Entirely done by himself in a accessible studio design by himself.