We recently had the chance to connect with Matthew Zaremba and have shared our conversation below.
Matthew , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I am proud of my recent collection with Uniqlo and the opportunity to represent my hometown of Boston. It was cool to see my kids’ reactions to seeing their dad’s face on the walls of the store and my artwork on people walking around the city. It’s important to me to show them that their creativity has the potential to resonate with others and open doors to opportunity.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Matthew Zaremba and I am a multidisciplinary artist and published writer. The work I’m most known for are minimalist illustrations that explore the intricacies of the human condition through an autobiographical lens. I consider this work an ongoing series that originated as a form of visual journaling and a practice of processing and examining thoughts and feelings, to distill them down to something more tangible. I’ve had the fortune of exhibiting both nationally and globally, collaborating with brands I respect, becoming an Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum artist-in-residence, and having my work published regularly throughout the years. Most importantly, I’ve connected with countless people who have found personal meaning through the stories I share, including those who have gotten work tattooed which is always such an honor.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was a child my family moved us from the city to a small coastal suburb. Because I was already so influenced by my environment and the subcultures I was raised around such as skateboarding, graffiti, and hip hop, I felt very different than the kids in my new town. Whether partially self-imposed or othered in some way for the things I was into, I certainly felt like an outsider most of my youth. I was able to find a small community of other kids who were skateboarders and into other counterculture activities, but I had an awareness that I didn’t quite fit in. In a way I think I hid my creative interests as an attempt to blend in. Suffice to say, I didn’t have the confidence I had to eventually try and build up throughout life. In retrospect, those interests and talents would directly affect my life path, including a creative career. What I once saw as some sort of hinderance in my life actually shaped my life for the better. I no longer feel like an outsider, because those unique traits helped me navigate the world and create things that will hopefully live on long past me.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I’ve had a lot of loss throughout my life and when my father died when I was 28 I felt fairly helpless. I lost that sort of protective layer that parents often feel like in our lives, even when we become adults. That only highlighted things I needed to change in my life, but also all of the generational baggage we inherit. It wasn’t until I really started to examine my inner world, that I was able to start truly healing myself. That’s essentially the point at which I began to focus more on the illustrations as a means of communicating, documenting, and exploring these invisible forces that influenced my very being. I’m more in touch with myself than I have ever been and I discover things about myself everyday. That’s one of the most interesting aspects of life… that you’re constantly in motion, ever changing, and there is possibility within and around you every moment.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
As a father myself, one of the people in my life that I have a deep admiration for is my father-in-law. He has always had a strong and genuine connection to his kids and is the first to offer a helping hand. I’ve always known him to be sensible and logical, but also balancing those traits with curiosity and a real appreciation for life. He has also had a lot of loss in his life, and his perspective has always been one of an optimist. It’s something I put into practice everyday, because it IS a practice, and I am grateful for him being such a positive influence in not only my life, but our entire family’s.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace in nature. There is a constant reminder of the natural order of things… seasons, beginnings and ends, life and death. Our lives are so entangled with technology, algorithms, media, work and obligations. Having that opportunity to get back to what really matters in the grand scheme of things is something I really prioritize. Laying in the grass or on the beach, in the sun, listening to the wind and birds… grounding myself. There really isn’t anything much better than that. It connects me, not only to the world around me, but my inner world. An endless source of inspiration.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Matthewzaremba.com
- Instagram: @matthewzaremba
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