Biography
Deacon Matthew D. Garrett
Phone: (208) 859-9698
E-mail: matthew@holy-icons.com
Matthew Garrett was born December 1, 1976 in Yonkers NY, the third of Paul and Judith Garrett’s five children. Matthew grew up in the Orthodox Faith on the campus of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, where he developed a great appreciation for icons. At the age of 10, his father accepted a job as the librarian at the Antiochian Village in Ligonier PA, and so his family moved to Latrobe PA. Having expressed interest in learning to paint icons, Matthew’s father arranged for him to spend the summer of 1991 working for Philip Zimmerman at the St. John of Damascus Icon Studio. During the summer, Matthew sat in on icon classes, and grew enamored with the process of painting icons. For the next few years, he spent much of his free time, weekends and vacations reading about icons, looking for interesting prototypes to paint, working at the studio, as well as painting at home.
In 1994, Matthew graduated with honors from Greater Latrobe High School, and enrolled at St. Vincent College (Latrobe PA). Matthew graduated with a BA in Liberal Arts (with a concentration in religious studies) with highest honors from St. Vincent College May 9, 1998, and received an award for excellence in Liberal Arts.
Since graduation, Matthew has set up a studio and has continued to grow as an artist and to develop his own style. He prefers complex compositions, and the challenge of bringing harmony to the many details. His work ranges from larger than life size murals to postage stamp-size icons.
He has exhibited his work and given lectures on iconography at festivals, churches, and conferences. His work can be seen in many churches, including locally at Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in Monongahela PA, St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Altoona PA, Camp Nazareth in Mercer PA, and the St. Peter and Paul Chapel at the Antiochian Village in Ligonier PA.
Matthew was a member for many years of St. Michael’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Greensburg PA, where he served as a chanter, Sunday School teacher, and Parish Council Chairman. In September of 2009, Matthew moved to Boise, ID and married his wife Lisa. Her wedding gift was a set of icons for the iconostasis at Holy Transfiguration Antiochian Orthodox Church in Boise. In December of 2010, Matthew and Lisa began to attend St. Seraphim of Sarov Russian Orthodox Church in Boise.
Nov 13, 2011 Matthew was ordained by +Archbishop Kyrill of San Fransisco to the Diaconate. Deacon Matthew is honored to be able to serve the Holy Orthodox Church in this new capacity. 
