ALUMNI
he says. “I transferred from Spring Mill Elementary School mainly for the Sycamore art program in 1996-97, and was at Sycamore second grade through eighth grade.” ________________________ With the varied projects Panfil has worked on, he has been bouncing from genre to genre, working to find his niche in the arts, and searching to his find balance as a multi-disciplined creator. After graduating from North Central High School, Panfil attended The College of Santa Fe (now Santa Fe College of Art & Design) from 2007 until 2009, studying film production. He finished his BA in Communications & Culture at Indiana University in 2011. He attended graduate school at Herron School of Art & Design. He has worked for three years as lead videographer for RAW Artists in Indianapolis. Among his honors as a young filmmaker, Matt received first place in Downtown Indy’s “We Welcome All” $5,000
MATT PANFIL
video challenge, and his entry was featured on their website to promote growth in Indianapolis.
I’ve been making art since I was very small. I was a really little kid who always
He worked as a painting instructor at Mimosa & A Masterpiece,
liked all kinds of art. That has never changed.”. – MATT PANFIL
and showcased artwork at the Murphy Building in Fountain Square as well as The Landmarks Gallery, DO317 Lounge, the
Panfil (’03), is the co-founder, head art curator, and installation
Broad Ripple Art Center, and The 5547 Gallery in Irvington. In
artist for Healer, a collaborative art/music space located near
2016, Matt was selected as solo exhibition artist for The Attic
Fountain Square. HEALER DIY is part art space, as Indianapolis
Gallery in August, and was chosen NUVO Magazine’s “Best of
artists showcase their work in monthly exhibitions. It is also a
Local Visual 3D Artists.” As a writer, Matt has penned two novels,
bar, featuring live music. As it mixes different art forms, Panfil
several screenplays and short stories, a poetry anthology, and a
just says he wants visitors to engage in the art in a way unique to
stage play. His poetry has been published by KNACK Magazine
galleries in Indianapolis.
and The Pine Grove Literary Review, and a short story, “Sounds of Silence,” was published by The Saturday Evening Post as a
“Healer is definitely something where I have complete creative
finalist in their Great American Fiction Contest.
control as the art director and the co-founder,” he says. “It is really a culmination of all of the art practices that I’ve been interested in
________________________
since I was a kid. I just want to make sure that people engage.” “I thought I felt almost overprepared entering high school, but Panfil says his love of art surfaced early, and his parents
in a really good way,” Matt says about his education after leaving
recognized his gift. “My parents saw art was something that I had
Sycamore. “Nothing really felt that difficult or challenging
a passion for early on so they encouraged me to draw and create,”
because Sycamore prepared me so well.” He says the Sycamore lessons would carry into adulthood. “I know other Sycamore
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