We were lucky to catch up with Henry Matthiessen III recently and have shared our conversation below.
Henry, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
Being an independent artist with a Main Street studio and gallery presents challenges of business and marketing knowledge. My goal has been for 10 years to showcase my works on an excellent level placing myself in the spotlight of displaying what I have created for you to want, verses the buy my stuff, buy my stuff mentality. As of May I will have been in my Main Street Gallery 5 years….
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Henry Matthiessen III Artist – Photographer
I am a Tri State area artist mastering photography since 1972, applying art, and art history
techniques of light manipulation, composition and third element mastery, along with storytelling,
Combined with other nuances, and touches used by Art Masters to deliver emotion and drama of The Worldly Unique Driftless Region, and Mississippi Valley near, and around Galena, Illinois,
My intent is showcasing nature at her finest while demonstrating man’s insignificance. Making my photos come alive via post processing and printing at my Stoned Art Studio & Gallery of Dubuque, Iowa completes my artistic, photo making.
My photography has been featured, across the United States, via marketing materials for States of Illinois, Hawaii, Nevada, California, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, North Carolina, and also worldwide via the British Broadcasting Company. Photography. Art pieces have been featured numerous times, on WMAQ TV Chicago, and CBS television in Iowa City, along with numerous features in the Chicago Sun Times Newspaper.
Currently I mentor photography students at Galena, Illinois High School. Art students at Stockton, Illinois High School, and CTE Academy graphic arts students in Elizabeth, Illinois.
I conduct private and group photography workshops teaching and improving one’s art and photography skills throughout the beautiful Mississippi River Valley and Driftless Region.
I am the Founder of the Tri State regional artist group All River Road Talent (ARRT) promoting a self-guided Art Drive the first weekend of every month. I am also the Creator and a Producer of the Driftless Region Scenic Art Drive, (www.ScenicArtLoop.com) the Driftless Regions Exclusive Art and Artisan Atlas. 2014 – 2024
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My intent and goal is to create bold, daring, first, and different statements which deliver emotional spiritual orgasms to my viewers, while I showcase as much as possible man’s insignificance in the world and universe.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I believe support of art is not going to come from some kind of over reach from above. My experiences in the Tri State Region (IL, WI, IA) is that art is not considered beneficial of the time and effort other than rhetoric, on a local, regional, or state governmental and organizational level. In my opinion and the purpose of the ARRT organization I founded and the Scenic Art Loop map I helped create, art needs to be driven by a ground swell movement with every artist participating marketing and shouting out via an means possible in a collective voice or statement to make Art’s voice heard. If that makes sense.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.StonedArtStudio.com (or) www.ScenicArtLoop.com
- Instagram: Stoned_art_studio
- Facebook: StonedArt or HenryMatthiessen III
- Other: If interested there is a documentary about me named “Riding the Light” on YouTube under Highway 11 Films = https://youtu.be/opN5kTnFlrI?si=xX8sEkZt75ncBblg
Image Credits
Henry Matthiessen III Amy May Photography (portrait credit)