Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Matt Maes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Matt, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
Thanks for having me, that’s an excellent question because for me these are connected parts of my life. I’ve been drawing since I was seven years old, from the first time I was introduced to a pencil and paper attempting to emulate the cover of Mario 64. From that moment in time, I realized that I wanted to relive that sensation again and again for the rest of my life. Over the years I’ve experimented with airbrushing, tattoo design, 3D digital modeling and more. I’ve also worked multiple jobs including cleaning windows with my father starting when I was 15 years old. Despite however many normal jobs I’ve worked, that creative urge has been present and consistent for me throughout them all. It really is like breathing for me, but the decision to pursue the professional path wouldn’t come until much later. I couldn’t see how my perspective and understanding would evolve, and didn’t know what I didn’t know at the time.
That being said, I’m grateful for the work ethic I’ve developed over the course of these previous jobs which I’m able to call upon towards my own craft. It does make a world of difference working on things that are fulfilling and true to who I am, because what’s coming through is beyond dutifulness and is more akin to obsessiveness. It’s much easier to work hard when you’re naturally excited about what you’re doing. Experiencing freedom is a twofold definition for me, on one hand it can be understood as sets of conditions that allow for open pathways, but it’s also the personal values that allow you to experience the greatest level of flourish regardless of where you are. Ideally these are best put towards the path that’s most closely aligned with your true self.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Matt and I create art for people who love storytelling and creativity as much as I do. My love for art and myth has interwoven throughout my life since I was very young. My parents would regularly read to me and once I was able to read on my own, I would go through story books like crazy. One of the greatest lessons that my mother taught me was to learn the meanings of words I didn’t know by thinking about how they’re used within the context of the sentence. I now understand what this did is to encourage my young mind to be curious about language, how parts fit together to form a whole, enabling an openness to seek the forest and the trees. That’s not to say that I’ve been perfect in applying this to my understanding, but that key insights have aligned with this perceptual pattern.
As it turns out, several moments of awakening have compounded to bring me into alignment with my path and what I’m truly meant to be doing in this life. I’m sometimes asked the meaning behind the name Quantum Keyhole, and truthfully it came to me on a walk through the woods one night before I really contemplated the meaning. Something which is ‘quantum’ is open and boundless in possibilities, and a keyhole is a portal to new worlds. (I’ve noticed this same dynamic within my artwork where I’ll add something that I think looks cool, before realizing the meaning it adds to a complete narrative throughout the piece. This has happened so many times that I must regard it as valid.) Together this forms the spirit of what this company is about, not only for me to express creativity but also to unlock the same spirit of possibility within others.
Fascination with the Hero’s Journey arc popularized by Joseph Campbell has appeared throughout my life numerous times. I once took a community college course called “The Mythic Structure of Storytelling” taught by Evon Michelle Davis where I learned about the more contemporary writing structure developed by Christopher Vogler. I say “I” because by about halfway through the course, everyone else had dropped out of the class and I was the only one left. Evon literally showed up every week just for me because she could see how clearly excited I was to learn. Even still, it wouldn’t be until years later that my affinity for storytelling would unfold. I knew that I loved myths, but didn’t quite understand ‘why’ or ‘what’ to do about it.
That door would finally be opened to me a handful of years ago when I watched ‘The Power of Myth’ interviews between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers on Netflix. The way Joseph spoke about the interconnection between myth and our human experience revealed an answer to a question that I didn’t know to ask: “Is it possible that our real lives have the potential to reflect a mythical experience?”. This revelation became the pilot light for my life’s work, most notably ‘The Edge of Myth’ series I was working on at the time. The series features 7 archetypes from across the world, each representing various phases of the Hero’s Journey and interconnected symbolism. Each piece happens to correlate with parts of my life and has taken total mental, physical and spiritual investment to create.
I find it uncanny to have met my wonderful fiancé less than a week after completing the paintings, and that the pieces have become a source of bonding between us. In fact, we’ve created a venture we endearingly call ‘Immersive Art Meditation’ or ‘I AM’ which is an intersection between visual art and guided meditation. Helena is licensed in Shadow Work and has created deeply cathartic visualizations for our sessions. I get the chance to share the story, philosophy and meanings behind the art. We seek to demonstrate this process as a new way for artists to share their craft and engage people not just as observers but participants within an art-centered environment.
Most recently, I’ve begun applying my art to applications such as tapestries, t-shirts, greeting cards, and soon hoodies and stickers. I also teach creative instructional workshops, and have begun Drawing Games events. Drawing Games is an intersection between art and improvisation, guided by sets of card based games intended to bring out the artist within each of us, regardless of experience. The most rewarding part about playing out these games in real life is seeing people who wouldn’t normally consider themselves experienced artists be able to bridge that gap and enter into a creative, imaginative state.
Connecting with those around me who are drawn in by my artwork rejuvenates and inspires me. Some of my new favorite ways to engage with people (in addition to meeting at shows) are through my newsletter where I share updates and future plans, and sharing the creative process over my Twitch stream. I’m also illustrating a short story with the author Tricia Copeland, ‘Azreya: Aztec Priestess’, and developing ‘The Big Picture’ podcast with fellow artist Juannean Young.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
We can start with a clear understanding of the issues taking place, combined with a collective visionary alternative. If we want to craft the future, we must first know the present. When we apply curiosity to think about the reasons behind some misconceptions, we can begin to gain understanding and come closer to uncovering the truth. One of the biggest drivers I see is a perspective separation between artists and observers. For example, the way that people sometimes react to art with the following: “I’m not an artist, I can only draw stick figures”. We laugh and I hear what this person is saying “You’re the one with the gift and I want to be alright with that”. What this does is perpetuates the idea that this or that person has access to a dimension of human potential and some don’t. What I want for people to know about myself in this case is that I’ve always been deeply obsessed with art since I discovered drawing at 7 years old, so 26 years. When you do something for 26 years, you pick up a thing or two. Literally everything from physical techniques to knowledge has come from an unquenchable interest in creativity.
Over the past number of years I’ve been fascinated with the phenomenon of Flow State, the optimal state also known as being in “The zone”. Flow isn’t restricted to a certain activity, and indeed encompasses a mode where we feel a certain amount of aptitude, interest, and are presented with an ideal challenge for any given person. When we think of creativity, it’s easy to think in terms of a set number of activities: Drawing or painting, playing music, etc. The punchline is that creativity can apply to any number of activities. When we perceive creativity this way, we realize it as a dimension of human experience. We can definitely talk about the merits of discipline, vision, capacity for nonlinear thinking, etc. in terms of artistic development, and also acknowledge the validity of being content as an amateur. By the way, the definition of the word ‘amateur’ is literally one who does an activity for the love of the craft. On the other side of the coin, maintaining that curiosity and ‘beginner’s mindedness’ is so valuable even throughout one’s artistic career.
The second issue that I see is art’s place in commerce alongside other things we buy that provide a definite, useful purpose. We buy beds, clothes, and all these different things in our lives because they provide a measurable, tangible function. Art doesn’t drive you to work, it doesn’t cook your food, or anything like that. Of course we can create things which provide all sorts of functions, but there is a deeper point, that it does one thing better than anything else: It opens up the aperture of our minds and spirits, brings flavor to our lives in ways that the merit is intangible. It’s an empirically healthy thing to experience moments of ‘awe’, and when we’re more open to this state the more we want to seek it out not only in aesthetics but in the ways we move through our lives.
We live in a time where we simultaneously have art at our fingertips, literally through a screen on social media, yet these interactions are often quite momentary and completely free. I’ve certainly fallen into the trap of misappropriating social media’s place and how to use it, even walking away from my accounts for some time. I’ve now come back with a fresh mind and clearer understanding of how I choose to utilize them towards my goals. But at the end of the day, I see these platforms for giving first rather than hanging everything on a sales post. But I digress, people are yearning for deep interactions with art yet that means attention being deeply drawn into the present moment. This is one of the main benefits of the Immersive Art Meditation sessions, to provide deep and real focused experiences with art. Being with people in person, in front of the art has come to be one of the most rewarding ways to be in communion with an audience.
The final issue I want to mention is our relation to work, and how art isn’t always put into this same category. Again, I can see why this is: There is merit in hard work and discipline, it would be foolish to say otherwise. That doesn’t mean that the only financially valid work is tied to stress, sometimes to the point of burnout. We must regard it as possible for one to gain deep fulfillment through their craft and thrive financially along the professional path.
I’m convinced that the more people have understanding for artists, the more artists can understand themselves, and the degree to which we can be seeing the same picture, we’ll simply be looking at a different world. When our motivations are aligned in knowing the needs of artists and what puts them in the best position, this spirit will feed into every facet of society from the number of opportunities, to the messaging, to getting paid. All of it, guaranteed. This is absolutely a moral issue, but the dynamics don’t end there. I mean, let’s ask ourselves these questions: Do we appreciate quality art? Do we all understand that the quality of the art can be increased by the artists themselves feeling equipped physically, mentally, emotionally, and yes, financially? Even from a selfish perspective, giving artists their due encourages more quality art that we know we all love.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I have multiple motivations coming from various sides of myself, all tied around living out my mission as an artist. My conviction is to bring people into contact with sides of themselves through the art and creative outlets such as the workshops, Drawing Games, etc. I live with the unwavering faith that creating and perpetuating creativity is the mission of my life, and applying uncompromising dedication will bring everything else I could list here. I intend to create a fulfilling life for myself and my family, inspire and be inspired by those around me, promote a connected humanity through art, continually work to become the best version of myself and frankly to join the halls of the heroes who’ve inspired me. The north star of what Quantum Keyhole represents is as a beacon of creative potential continually lights my fire to build it.
I’m simultaneously in tune with the patience to take the time that’s needed for my ambitions to play out, and yet I paint as if I’m running out of time. I feel unassailable along my path, yet I know that without taking the steps none of it will happen. I’m continually fed through the love of what I do, and yet I’m voracious for the total fulfillment of my dreams. I can understand how people struggle with a fear of failure, and I have failed numerous times, but it hasn’t stopped me because I’m so much more concerned about this fear: If I don’t do it, the destiny of my dreams and all the good I aim to promote will not come to fruition. My fear isn’t in front of me, it’s behind me and working for me. I’ve totally surrendered to the mission of my life, and my resting state is one of peace, assuredness, curiosity, kindness to human beings, in a nutshell aspiring to represent the spiritual gifts that I want to see in the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.quantumkeyholestudio.com
- Instagram: @quantumkeyholestudio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/913541595880213
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-maes-844b1a3b/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnbjWNTzxoz5QBEu8jtmrSQ/videos
- Other: Linktree: linktr.ee/mattqkstudio Twitch: mattqkstudio
Image Credits
Jonathan Kelley of THINC Inc, Todd Powers, Jeff Maes, and Helena Karchere