Male Etsian Artist~ mattsart

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I'm in love with this art!! I want to buy just about ALL of his art to cover my walls in. It was very difficult for me to choose favorites here, I probably could have filled my entire blog with them... I had to fight it. I am in awe of the color usage, the lines, and details. Please check out his shop, you probably won't want to leave!

mattsart

• How and when did you discover your talent? I don't know if I'm talented, but I do love painting. I've worked at it for many years, and I feel that I've found my greatest joy and bliss in life. So as far as talent, I feel talented every time I make a sale, because I know someone loves my work enough to buy it. Otherwise, I just enjoy what I do. People are also very kind to me and compliment my work a lot, and that feels good too.
• What or Who do you think is the most important influence in your work?Many of my contemporary painting colleagues have influenced me regarding technique. I've never been one to really enjoy the old masters, but I do love a lot of what's being painted these days. I think of God and nature while I'm painting. I get my best results when I'm at peace. That's also what I'd like people to reflect on when they view my work. Landscapes and sunsets are big with me, and I want people to reflect on the intense beauty that is to be found everywhere on Earth once you get away from the day to day. My hope is to bring that beauty into their lives so maybe they can enjoy a little mini-vacation that never ends without ever having to leave home.
• Where do you do your work? At home in my studio.
• When do you feel the most creative and motivated? Weekends, absolutely. It's the only free time I have to really get 100% into what I'm doing. I don't do as well when I try to paint during the week.
• Where do you feel your art and yourself are going? My only goal is to be able to paint every day, and to be able to get my work into the hands of any and all who want it.
• What does your art say to you and how do you hope it is interpreted by others? My art reflects the beauty I feel toward God, nature and Earth. I also hope that is what others see in it, and that it simply takes them to a nice place in their mind and heart. I hope in some small way that my paintings make the world a better place. I think we all want to do that somehow.
• Have you found any pros or cons to being a male artist? Or does it even matter? Well, due to the mere presence of that question, one would gather that it is an issue. I've actually been asked that very same question quite a few times during interviews, and without any prompting on my part, so unfortunately yes, I'd say it does matter whether I want it to or not.I think it especially matters on Etsy, but not on any other venues. I'm lucky, because many people have bought from me there regardless, so although I do sense that I miss out on a ton of sales because I'm a male, I am blessed that so many people on Etsy are just wonderful people, and have the intellect to look well beyond sexism and simply buy work that they love because they love it. After all, I am not my art. I merely create it, and if you enjoy it, it just shouldn't matter at all what sex I am, should it?
• Do you feel that you should be promoted on Etsy for being male? No, I absolutely do not believe I should be promoted because I'm a male. I very strongly believe it shouldn't matter at all one way or the other, and it's unfortunate that men do feel the need to band together there at all. The reality seems to be that Etsy is very much geared toward the ladies, and I think THEY even feel pressured by all the feminism there. I love Etsy very much, but it is sort've a weird place in my book.
• Is there anything you would like to add?I hope you love my art!