We recently connected with Mathew Sturtevant and have shared our conversation below.

Mathew, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

My whole career has been crossing my fingers and saying to myself, “Let’s see what happens if I try this..”

Mathew, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started my career as an editorial and commercial photographer doing work for publications like Men’s Journal and the New York Times. After 25 years of that I published a coffee-table book on the Austin music scene featuring portraits of Texas icons such as Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett and a hundred other notable artists. My first book lead to my second book which was meant to be an adventure story about riding my motorcycle across America on dirt roads. The subtext of the book was to face my fears, but really I just made my fears (specifically agoraphobia) much worse. I had to put the second book project aside because it felt like it wasn’t much of a story. Yet.
After moving across the country, going through a divorce and finally finding the correct therapy for my mental health challenges, I met my current wife and we went back to visit all of the scariest places I missed out(or chickened-out) on the first time.
I am very proud I had the courage to ask for help and now work in mental health and addictions as a person who has recovered from both. All I had to do was re-learn everything and be willing to own my faults. Now I help others with the problems I used to have.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I really want to convey to people that they are not alone in their fears or mental health struggles. there is help and all you have to do is ask for it. It is not easy but you don’t have to do it alone.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I have survived 3 decades of bills, paid off two houses and moved into my dream house all with a camera, a pen and my imagination. Most of my career I have done the kind of work I have wanted to do. I have been hungry, but never starved. I have been poor but never missed a mortgage payment. I have had to do every many of side-gig at times and had to problem solve frequently. I have had to drive crappy, 20 year old Toyotas and Hondas but I have mostly done what I wanted. I don’t sweat the lean times because I am resilient and adaptable.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thetopographyoffear.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mathewsturtevant/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mathew.sturtevant
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/gvUBbZOrFOQ?si=EXgpxM87yPvL2bx-

Image Credits
I took all photos