April Matteis is a Pensacola-based artist whose work delves into the cycles of life, loss, and renewal, drawing on her personal experiences and the transformative power of art. Growing up surrounded by her father’s antique store and moped shop in Fort Lauderdale, she developed a lifelong fascination with forgotten objects and their stories. These early encounters with relics—ranging from Edison phonographs to Zoltar fortune teller machines—ignited a deep connection to history, culture, and the beauty of repurposed things, which now shapes her mixed media assemblage work.
In 1993, April moved to Pensacola to pursue an art degree and immerse herself in the city's thriving underground art scene. At the heart of this culture was a space where creativity and collaboration flourished. This sense of community, independence, and rebellion became a key influence on her artistic practice. Over the past 25 years, April has worked from a secluded studio in the historic Old Sacred Heart Hospital, a space that mirrors her themes of life, death, and transformation. Here, she transforms found objects into intricate assemblages, exploring decay and renewal with a belief in the power of discarded things to take on new meaning.
Guided by mentors and driven by a passion for experimentation, April’s art is a meditation on the passage of time and the beauty found in regeneration. With a BFA and a Fulbright Scholarship to Morocco and Tunisia, April has spent over 27 years in public education, fostering creativity and healing through art. Her work, largely absent from the social media spotlight, offers viewers a space to reflect on the cycles of life, encouraging them to embrace creative freedom and use art as a tool for healing, transformation, and connection.