We were lucky to catch up with Mathis Art recently and have shared our conversation below.
Mathis, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
When it comes to inspiration and keeping my desire to make cool stuff intact, I feel like for me it’s a bit of a double edged sword.
I indulge in culture n art of all types all day whether it’s old music, magazines, documentaries, or even blogs, so there’s always new inspiration to take in, But at the same time while these things gimme a new lease and new ideas they also can add to an imposter syndrome kinda ordeal.
It can feel like “The greats from this era were making all this amazing art how can i even think to match it” and it can get really cynical, But the easiest way to get over it is understanding keeping whatever vision i have in my own head is in itself a disservice to the culture and art landscape i love so much y’know? Plus it’s like the more I create the better I feel as a whole I guess
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Well like my bio on instagram says, I’m simply “an ATLien with a paintbrush” haha. I’m not one to conflate my ego with tags like “designer” or “creative director” or yada yada, i’m a guy who can draw really well that’s all, It sounds reductive but in my opinion that’s a pretty versatile thing.
I like to think my vision and skill is its own unique thing you know, I’ve done work for other artists and brands through just posting my original pieces over the years and I think that’s really cool. It’s like a testimony to trusting your eye and trusting the process, I knew I had something of value it was just a matter of showing the world that, But there is waaaaaayy more work to be done.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Well firstly I think trust is one of the biggest factors in pursuing any creative career or dream. Beyond trusting in yourself to make good work, you have to trust the process in such a crazy way man. Almost to a delusion extent, something I still have issues with. You have to be so sure in yourself that no matter what you see, no matter how many followers you lose, no matter how many likes you don’t get, no matter how many other people you see who’s success tramples yours, you have to be sure of your value and where it can take it. You know now that i say it sounds exactly like delusion but i promise you it’s needed. I’d say you have to be a dreamer. You’ve gotta see things that aren’t there.
Secondly, you have gotta learn repetition. Kanye said it himself, “5 beats a day for 3 summers, I deserve to do these numbers!”. I have my easel right next from my bed just so that when i wake the first thing I see is a canvas man!(also my room is also just small ha) I liken it to being a mangaka, those guys draw for a living. To do what they do you have to have an undying infatuation w art, those guys wake up and draw panels week to week to make sure they meet deadlines. It takes an effort you know. Be so obsessed with drawing. You don’t even have to post everything just make sure you’re creating whenever you can, cause believe me EVERYTHING you make won’t be amazing, it’s just knowing that you’re making stuff, you’re creating.
Lastly I’d say I had to stop being so apathetic towards the process. There was a point where I grew nihilistic about everything in my world, including art, and I still battle w that. You have to know you aren’t above anything and you aren’t too cool for a damn thing dude. I care about art and I can’t hide from that. It’s like I can’t tell myself “whatever it is what it is, I could stop here and just get a whatever job and be known as someone who can paint kinda cool” nah I don’t wanna go out like that, this is stuff I dream about I grew up idolizing figures in art and I always wanted to be seen as my contemporaries are seen, AndI can’t stop without knowing I stopped at nothing to do that. I’m making it sound it intense, I know ha, it’s all just drawing and painting cool stuff onto paper but it’s real sometimes man I don’t know. It hit different as some people would say
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My friends man, My big brother (@goodfortunecompany_ on instagram) My many online and offline friend groups, Jay (@rumi.four on instagram), Chris (@africanamericanartist on instagram), Ray (@raysanatomy on instagram) just the whole crew for real. I can’t name everyone(i’ll try in later interviews), my guy Nareg(@mega.nareg on instagram) but everyone helps. From just talking w me playing around, to feeding me inspiration, showing me documentaries about designers and cultural figureheads. It’s always a fresh new outlook with them, showing me different avenues on how to create and showing me different ways to view art and creativity as a whole.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mathisartpegues?igsh=MWw0NzlwajgzdnVleg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathis-pegues-ab2050335?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Twitter: https://x.com/mathisarts?s=21
- Youtube: In the Works
- Other: I mean i gotta tiktok too lol
@mathisarts on there
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