Matt McCormick - issue 02

We arrived at Matt’s studio in downtown Los Angeles on one of the hottest days of the summer of 2019. The smell of highway exhaust mixed with oil paint wafted through the parking lot as we knocked on his door. We knew of Matt’s abundant success as an artist, but had no idea we were going to be meeting someone so down to earth. We spent the day talking about youth, cowboys, rebellion, art (of course), but above all what it takes to be the kind of person you want to be. What we appreciated most was his openness to our curiosity, and the time he took to think before speaking his mind. When we think of Matt, we imagine him laying on his couch with his dogs by his side, pondering the great west.

What is it that you create?

I’ve been creating an ongoing narrative that engages an autobiographical dialogue that takes the form of paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, film, writing, books, clothing and whatever else I can visually affect.

Tell us about your youth; what parts of it come out in your work?

I grew up in Northern California with two artist parents. We spent a lot of time at the beach and in the mountains. I was definitely an “outdoor kid.” Making art was highly encouraged, but more than just making art it pushed me as child to start reading life with an eye to translate my surroundings into visual representations.

How did you begin creating?

It was just another thing you did; you read, you write, you create. It wasn’t until I got a little older that I realized that wasn’t the case for everyone’s upbringing.

Who helped shape who you are now as an artist?

The list could go on for a while, but first and foremost would be my father, but like any shitty rebellious child I rejected that at a certain point and had to learn and discover on my own. As I said, a lot of my art begins from personal experiences and narratives I’ve created for myself, I had to go learn by watching other artist from afar and up close. I’ve tried to be as much of a sponge as possible and just observe all aspects and to also trust my own instincts, which can be very hard.

In your initial search for your medium, what were some things you explored before you found what you loved, or are you still searching?

Oil painting is definitely my number one, there’s such a history to it that it’s very easy to romanticize. That being said, I would never want to be chained to one medium. I spent a bunch of years working with tattoos which has very interesting connotations to it. I recently released a self-published book of photographs and writing which was an eye opening experience. At the end of the day my goal is for whatever I work on to have “my flavor” or look, and if the viewer can tell I made it without being told, then I would say I succeeded.

How did your parents feel about you chasing this dream?

They’re super proud and supportive, they did the same thing.

Your work often features images that people know from pop culture that float and drif in an undefined space. What is it about these symbols that stick to the canvas?

They give us information. The last few years have been about personal growth, and I need to review the past to look to the future. It helps me to look at other people’s experiences, whether they are pop culture icons or not. I use all this to make the work and select the imagery, what the viewer does with that information is wide open.

Would you do anything else with your life if this didn’t work? Where do you hope to be in ten years?

There’s a few other ideas, it’s hard to imagine something that doesn’t involve some level of creativity, but thats a broad use of the word. I love designing spaces so something with interiors has always interested me. Hopefully ten years down the line I’m still doing the same thing I’m doing now, just at a much larger scale and continuing to grow as a person and an artist.

What or who are your biggest influences?

I don’t think anyone has time for me to list all of that. I’ll say that in the past week:

I’ve been listening to Chet Baker, The Highwaymen, Leonard Cohen, The Stranglers, Pixies, Grateful Dead, and King Tubby. I’ve been looking at Lucien Freud, Cy Twombly, Mike Kelley, Barnett Newman, Kasimir Malevitch, Francis Picabia and Martin Kippenberger.

I’ve watched Mean Streets, Easy Rider, Two Lane Blacktop, William de Kooning: Artist. My favorite part of California is the Northern Coast where the Redwoods meet the Pacific Ocean. 

Did you ever seriously consider giving up?

No.

Chuck is a magazine born in California, what is it about this state that is so different from the rest of the country?

I have a project with Vincent Haycock where we are exploring this exact topic, but in short it encompasses so many different cultures, landscapes, and industries into one state because of its massive size, but also because of its tolerance to new and outside ideals and thinking.

Tell us about the horses, we love them.

They are one of the most majestic creatures but also have been used for work, travel, companionship and so much more.

Where do you go to get lost?

Unfortunately and fortunately my head.

Your “Not As It Seems, Nothing As It Seems” series is incredibly wide in where you go, are those all real parts of California you went to, or are some fabricated?

A lot of that series was based on photos by the New Topographics (Stephen Shore, Robert Adams, etc.) I was attracted to their work because It represented this idolized America for me. I would use their photos as a starting point and then alter and recreate new landscapes and scenes to create my dream American Landscape.

What is it about cowboys that you are drawn to?

My reasons for working with the cowboys is constantly evolving. When I started I was really interested in them for what they represented to the world at large, or as a brand, and how no matter where you went you could find them. Even though they are recognized as such a staple of American iconography, you can find them everywhere from Mexico to Germany. Lately I’ve been interested in the idea of the modern day armor that putting on your cowboy gear provides. As a child I would dress up as a cowboy, specifically the Lone Ranger, and it gave me a sense of power, one where no one could defeat me if I was wearing that armor. The images are of cowboys, but the feeling attached to the sense of self that comes along with said armor or costume extends to so much more.

Could you imagine yourself leaving California for another city or state or country?

Definitely, but I will probably have some sort of work presence here. Never say never.

What do you want to conquer next? 

Scale of a piece or medium etc... 

What do you wish to create with your work?

I just want to keep growing as a person and an artist. Larger work is always fun, bigger projects, public installations, etc.