Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Kaplinsky.
Matt, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Initially, I began trying to be an artist by making metal sculpture. Lacking a way to store and market metal sculptures properly, I attended and arts and decor trade show in the World Trade Center. With little public interest, my time was passed sketching on note cards. A passerby saw these and as it turned out, she owned a publishing company and wanted to use my drawn and colored small images for her artistic greeting card line. Money from that did not begin to show up for quite a while, and in the interim, I experienced a brief period of being homeless.
Salvaging flat materials and excess paint from construction sites, I began to make small and medium paintings to sell out of the back of my pickup truck and this allowed me to generate rent money. Once I gained an apartment and subsequently a “day job” I became even more productive with artwork. After participating in a few local art shows at consignment venues, coffee shops, a bar, and the like things just began to build up for me there and was able to make art full time working for myself.
While some of my work has been in galleries, my M.O. was to sell directly to the consumer and designers on which I managed to build a living for the past 15 years or so. Artistically I have grown ever since then and have sold art across the USA, but mostly in Texas. Overall I would say that to get where I am today takes a lot of hustle and 70 hour work weeks. My experience is that most people have no idea just how much work it takes to be a full-time artist but for me, it’s as necessary as breathing.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
HA!! Definitely not a smooth road. Trying to get seen by the right people above the vast noisy crowd of artists is a real struggle. Trying to have a life or a hobby outside of artwork every day is difficult. Being able to find customers is like mining for gold or diamonds. Having insurance, paying bills, and having health care were serious problems at one point. I hope that all stays behind me…
What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Paintings.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is being able to afford to live somewhere comfortable with limited worries and still being able to do something amusing once in a while, or having time to relax. That’s it in a nutshell. I probably have more than I need now, but in turn, I do physically or financially assist a few charities so it all balances out.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mattkaplinsky.com
www.modernmatt.com - Email: matt@modernmatt.com
- Instagram: @modernmatt
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