Matt Zoll was born in Baltimore on October 13, 1968. From a very early age, Matt had a great love and admiration for fine art and most of all realism. Through his childhood, Matt drew and painted and was encouraged through the support of his parents. At the age of thirteen, Matt began taking private art lessons from artist Bob Browne. Through the encouragement of Browne, Matt enrolled at the Schuler School of Fine Art in the fall of 88. While at the Schuler School, Matt was trained in anatomy, watercolor, cast drawing, sculpture, portraiture and still life. During the course of Schulers, Matt began concentrating on still life and classical realism. He studied the painstaking techniques from artist Ann Schuler and Will Wilson. Through their teachings, Matt learned he could always take his painting a little further in contrast, color and detail. While studying at Schulers, Matt Zoll won many art competitions, such as the prestigious United States Art Competition and won a scholarship from Sovran bank. During this time Zoll was asked to join Bendann Art Galleries, which made him the youngest artist ever, represented at the age of eighteen. While at Bendann Matt sold out five one-man shows. Matt's group and one-man shows have had overwhelming response from collectors and art enthusiasts.

After graduating from Schulers in 1991, Matt decided to open his own school to continue the techniques used by the old masters with the use of black oil rediscovered by Jacques Maroger. Mixing powdered pigments with black oil creates the luminosity associated with the works of the masters.