From the Inside Flap
Matt Lamb emerged from the rough-and-tumble streets of 1940s Southside Chicago to transform a cash-poor funeral parlor into a multimillion-dollar business empire. But when a mysterious midlife illness caused him to question the true value of his myriad accomplishments, Lamb stunned family, friends, colleagues, and competitors by turning his back on business to become a self-taught painter.
The undulating spirits and flamboyant depictions of heaven and hell that sprang from his brush were at once sophisticated and primitive, uplifting and disturbing.
Today, Lamb's unique vision has made him one of the world's most controversial painters. Tagged by some as an "outsider artist," a designation he has alternately embraced and rejected, Lamb has seen his work collected by museums, universities, celebrities, and royalty—even as his art has been blacklisted by some of New York's most powerful dealers. He has won rapturous reviews from critics in publications from London to Shanghai and has been hailed as an heir to Pablo Picasso, even as he—and his millions—have been derided as the antithesis of starving-artist chic.
In Matt Lamb: The Art of Success, renowned writer and critic Richard Speer tells Lamb's story in a no-holds-barred style that is both uncompromising and uplifting. Given unprecedented access to Matt Lamb's inner circle and the artist himself, Speer traverses the world to discover what drove Lamb to triumph in the diametrically opposed worlds of art and business. Speer coaxes Lamb to open up about his personal and artistic crises, the unconventional spiritual beliefs that inform his paintings, and his daunting current project: painting for world peace.
Matt Lamb: The Art of Success is a fascinating biography and artistic chronicle filled with inspiration for finding true success in every aspect of life.

Product Description:
In this tell-all biography, journalist Richard Speer gives readers an all-access pass into the uproarious, uplifting life of Matt Lamb, a highly successful businessman turned world-famous painter. A rich and inspirational story, Matt Lamb: The Art of Success captures the essence of this flamboyant yet enigmatic figure and details how he transformed from his first success as CEO of a multi-million-dollar business to become one of the art world's most celebrated and controversial painters. Through candid interviews with Lamb, his family members, friends, detractors, and critics, readers will discover how Lamb came to run a family-owned funeral business with all the drama and pathos of the hit TV show, Six Feet Under only to be told by doctors he was dying of a grave illness and should begin planning his own funeral. Page after engaging page, Matt Lamb: The Art of Success moves on to reveal how Lamb beat the illness and lived to become a spiritually driven painter hailed as an heir to Pablo Picasso, all the while thumbing his nose at critics who dismissed him and his millions as the antithesis of starving-artist chic. Now in his 70s, Lamb is still moving and shaking, redefining the art world, and tackling his toughest challenge ever: painting for world peace. This book will uncover the secrets to Lamb's success in business and art and leave readers asking: What new adventures are around the corner for this maverick entrepreneur/philosopher? And what can we learn from his life?

The Official Book Web Page by Author Richard Speer:
www.richardspeer.com/mattlamb.html

Project related Matt Lamb web sites
www.mattlamb.com
www.on-line-lamb-project.org
www.the-lamb-umbrellas-for-peace.org

*Click here to view artworks by Matt Lamb available at Judy Saslow Gallery

*Call us to arrange a visit to Matt Lamb's studio to view and select artworks.