Meet the Editors: Matthew Gardener

By Mae McDermott

Illustration by Georgia Riordan

Matthew is a sophomore writing major and soon-to-be-anthropology minor with a love for collage in all forms. He serves as our Co-Editor-in-Chief. Matthew has a talent for seeing things anew: whether he is constructing collages of cardboard, found photos, and written excerpts; generating his typewriter art; or composing essays out of colors and memories; he envisions and re-envisions, always bringing a fresh eye so that things never become old or dull or neglected. In other words, everything Matthew touches is loved and made special.

Matthew’s love for collage, texture, and exploration can be seen in his varied skills and interests. He plays saxophone, owns a rock that is at least 450 million years old, and lately has been ensconced in research about the true value of invasive species such as Amazonian hippos. Matthew is interested in trying everything, drawing inspiration from both the real-life stories of how a disgruntled old couple lowered crime in their neighborhood through the power of Buddhism (Criminal, hosted by Phoebe Judge) to the veiled humanity of sci fi that both is and isn’t about raising robots (“The Lifecycle of Software Objects” by Ted Chiang).

But in order to understand Matthew Gardener, one only needs to observe his work. From simple notes to detailed art projects to inductive, collage-like essays, Matthew’s superlative diligence, patience, thought, appreciation, and passion for discovery are infused into all he does.