September Dispatch Art | Hard to Hide It

Process for this month’s Dispatch art: “Hard to Hide It'“

I did my best to record things as I painted this, but honestly it was one of those that just came all in a rush of Flow and I knocked it out in one sitting. It’s hard for me to remember to record and make content while I’m in the painting flow. It seems like it’s pretty easy for some folks, but I’ve always struggled with it. I made a short process video you can view below if you’d like. Youtube lets you add their royalty free music after the fact and I think it’s very funny - feel free to mute. I should have taken photos throughout as well so there would be something to post here, so I’ll keep that in mind for next time.

The through process for this one was around the idea of this tension around wanting to show people what you’re doing but being genuinely scared about it. These days it really feels like unless you’re willing to put your face on everything you’re destined to just fade into the background. Intellectually, I know that’s not true, but it’s hard to keep it out of my head while I’m painting.

I don’t know if people actually prefer to see artists doing little lip-syncing skits or comedy bits or spinning around with their art or not. I have to be honest; it makes me terrified. On the one hand, I think “who cares what people think” and on the other “it would be really hard for me to get negative comments out of my head”. I’m really doing my best to balance it all, but folks, it’s really tough out there. If there’s an artist you really care about, go the extra little bit and do all the stuff to their posts - like, comment, share, etc. Even if you don’t do it for me, do it for somebody out there. But yeah, I want to show my stuff to as many people as possible just so if they can have the chance to get something out of it. I’m absolutely in the minority, but I think most people aren’t as good at comedic acting as they think they are and it shows.

I really care about the people who buy and engage with my stuff, and I hope I’m doing enough to show them. Doing these table events all Summer has really given me a lot of creative energy - actually talking to people and seeing what they respond to is just incredible. If I’ve seen you out there, just from the bottom of my heart - thanks! It’s not even selling stuff, which is nice, but just getting a genuine reaction out of the work and seeing the type of people who are drawn to it is just pure magic. When I’m having a hard time, I try to remember how it felt when someone was walking past my stuff and had a ‘hold on a second’ moment and came back to look things over. It’s really tough for anything online to come close to that kind of thing, but there’s been some super nice comments in the past that have just put me over the moon.

I hope I don’t come off as whiney, it’s just what’s on my mind lately. Finding that balance of sharing enough, but also making time for making work and all the other responsibilities I’ve got. How do you manage it? I’m open to any and all tricks because if there’s one thing I can’t get enough of it’s getting better at stuff.

If you made it this far, I really appreciate it! I’m just figuring things out in real time here and doing my absolute best to connect with the people on a really genuine level who take the time to stop by. So thanks! Until next time.

-Matt