We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carissa Mattern. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carissa below.

Hi Carissa, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

My artistic and professional careers have been interesting. At the end of 2016 I was halfway through my Master of Fine Arts in Studio Arts with a specialization in Design and Photography degree when I realized several things: I no longer wanted to teach art, and painting horses and other equestrian scenes is what made me happy. My work previously was heavy–a lot of dark imagery with emotionally taxing undertones. The work was important for me to get out there, but it was no longer fulfilling me in the way it had previously. When my work started to take a turn towards horses, quite frankly, I started to question what I was doing with my life.

Prior to going for my Master of Fine Arts, I thought that the only way for me to have a fulfilled life was to be working in the arts full-time. I had only ever gone to art school from middle school through graduate school; it was the only thing I really knew. So when my work was shifting and the MFA program I was in wasn’t allowing me to make those drastic shifts, I started to think about what else I was interested in other than art and horses. This was around the time that Trump was running for President and my husband and I became very involved in politics; and my 9 to 5 was getting very involved in academic policy.

I started looking into public policy and public administration graduate programs which were very different from anything else I had ever done before. Before that point I had never applied to any school for anything other than art, design, and photography. Quite frankly, I was terrified that I wouldn’t get in, especially since I applied to The Johns Hopkins University-as close to an ivy league university I had ever thought of applying to. To my complete surprise, I got in! The risk was completely worth the reward. Since taking that risk, what I thought was a huge risk, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Maryland Senators, Delegates, Councilmembers, and some incredibly extraordinary people while being able to go home to my studio practice and paint what I love.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Of course! I was born in and spent the first 17 years of my life in south Florida where I lived a stone-throw away from equestrian mecca, Wellington.Since middle school I had been in art school; I attended Middle School of the Arts for Visual Art and Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr. High School of the Arts for Visual Art. My freshman year was spent in New York City at the School of Visual Arts majoring in Photography and my remaining three years of undergraduate school were spent at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in my favorite city, Baltimore. Even though I started out as a painting major at MICA, I switched my major, again, and graduated with a BFA in Art History, Theory, and Criticism. In 2019 I graduated from The Johns Hopkins University with my MA in Public Management (a combination of public administration and public policy). Throughout my MA experience I was working as the Associate Registrar at my alma mater, MICA.
During the pandemic I was going through some significant cancer treatments and it made me realize that I needed to act on what I had been talking about for at least a decade: getting a terminal degree. I was accepted with a full-ride scholarship (another huge shock) to Northcentral University for my Doctorate in Criminal Justice with a specialization in Policing. How I made that jump is a completely different story for another day. The risk I took meant that I got to focus on all of my interests without being burned out (ADHD burnout is totally real) and I got to meet some amazing people along the way.

Now I am close to 3 years in remission, work in the Police Accountability Division of the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights, am a Commissioner on the Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention where I am the Chair of the Online and Cyberbullying subcommittee, and almost finished with my doctorate. All the while I continue my studio practice in painting horses and other equestrian scenes with other side projects that are non-equestrian related. My studio practice has also become somewhat of a memorial practice where I’ve taken on some clients who want memorial paintings of the horses they’ve lost. If you’ve ever worked with horses, you know that they can be very fragile beings and if you’ve ever lost a horse, you know that it can be one of the most devastating things you’ll ever go through. It has been an honor to be trusted by those clients (and friends, really) to paint their beloved horses.

I keep referencing those around me because if it wasn’t for them, not only would I not be here, but I wouldn’t be in the position I am to continue working on so many things. We don’t go through our adventures alone and I wouldn’t be where I am without those people.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Since I focus primarily on equestrians, seeing the look on my clients faces when I present them with their painting is priceless. Especially those who have come to me for a memorial. The happiness that I can bring through my work has been the most rewarding for me.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I’ve not had this experience, but I’ve known a lot of creatives who have. When you question a creative’s pricing for their work, you need to remember that you are not just paying for the final product. Yes, you are paying for the final product, but you are paying for the hours it takes to create the work and everything that comes with that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carissaholly.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/chollymattern
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/carissaholly
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/chollymattern