Matthew Trujillo is an Art of Austin artist! Read his interview and check out his work!
Matthew Trujillo
AoA – How long have you been in Austin and how did you find your way here?
Matt – I lived in Austin for a little over 2 years now. I moved out here from Albuquerque, NM. I came out here because my best friend that I was trying to build a clothing brand (OSA) with had been living here and also I need a change of scene. For me, there wasn’t too much opportunity for me to grow in New Mexico.
AoA – When did you realize that you were an artist?
Matt – I’ve been drawing since as far back as I can remember so I never really put the title “artist” to myself because it was always so natural to me. And it still feels weird to me whenever I do refer to myself as an artist but I guess I realized that I do have potential in the art world when I showcased my art for the first time in a art show back in Nov 2015. That was the first time I ever brought my paintings out of the house and the feedback and reaction I got from so many people I didn’t know really made me realize that I might have something more than just art I would make to fill up my own personal walls.
AoA – Can you speak to your art training?
Matt – I never had any art training per se, I mean I did have an art class in high school that I didn’t take too serious at the time. It was fun trying out all the different mediums and techniques but never really soaked in all the information as I should have. So I would say everything has been pretty much all self taught and learning by my mistakes.
AoA – Where do you derive inspiration from?
Matt – My inspiration comes from anywhere, It could be music, architecture, fashion, lights, movies, honestly anything that catches my attention and feeds me with ideas.
AoA – You have a very unique technique in approaching / executing your paintings – can you talk a little about your creative processes in creating?
Matt – It usually always start with the vision. I like to keep blank walls in my house so I can try to imagine what I would want to fill the empty spaces with. Sometimes I even hang blank canvases just to get the feel of what I want. I never know when the inspiration or the motivation is going to hit me but I never like to force a painting.
AoA – Where do you see yourself artistically in 5 years?
Matt – In 5 years I just want to feel as blessed as I’ve felt lately in the art scene. I’ve met some amazing people that I know I couldn’t have done all I have without these people in my life. So in 5 years I hope i’m just as happy and surrounded with positive people. Whether it be traveling the world showcasing my art or putting on shows here in Austin, as long as the energy is good.
AoA – Where can we find your work? Do you have any shows planned for the future?
Matt – Most of my work is up on my instagram (@mattru22) or you can usually find some of my originals hung at Cherry Cola Dog. This is November so it’s a very busy month for all artists I believe with East Austin Studio Tour. My work will of course be at Cherry Cola Dog these first couple weeks of November!
AoA – Thanks for speaking with us today homie, you are an extremely talented artist and we look forward to your future creations.
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