Understanding scope

Thanks,

public class ContactReclassTest {
    String confirstName;
    String conlastName;
    List<Contact> conList = New List<Contact>();  // this should be seen by within all methods yes?
    ContactReclassTest() {
        conFirstName = 'Mathew';
        conlastName = 'Andresen';
    }
    public static void createContacts() {
        List<Contact> conList = New List<Contact>();  // If I don't put this in it says the variable doesn't exist
    for(Integer i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
        Contact con = new Contact(FirstName = 'Mathew', LastName = ('Andresen'+ i) );  //can't find the other strings I declared either
        conList.add(con);
    }
        insert(conList);
    }
}