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

Matthew , appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I first realized that I wanted to pursue a creative career path back in junior year of high school. Painting had already become a huge passion of mine at the time (and still is of course) and I decided that I wanted to do it for the rest of my life. The only issue was figuring out how I was going to make a sustainable income from it. I weighed out my options until I eventually decided upon graphic design as a career choice, since it would provide stable income from a corporation and I could do freelance painting on the side.

2021 marked a huge shift in my career and educational path. I was admitted into the graphic design degree program at UCF, and in September of 2021, I created my small business named Phases Co. Phases Co is comprised of eco-friendly art prints and stationery that revolves around the dark academia and dark cottage core aesthetics. I began selling at farmers markets every weekend and seeing the success of my small business gave me a new perspective on my future. Phases Co is a passion project of mine and a business that I will continue to grow as time goes on, hopefully opening a brick and mortar in my late twenties.

After two semesters of the graphic design program, I realized that I wasn’t happy. Painting only a few times a month while spend countless hours on the computer was taking a huge toll on my creativity and mental health. In spring of 2022, I opted out of the graphic design program and switched my degree to studio art with a focus on painting, and doing so has been one of the best decisions of my life.

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

My painting journey began around 5-6 years ago back in high school. Up until that point in my life, drawing was something that I did every couple of months as a hobby; I never really took it too seriously, it was mainly for fun. The inspiration for painting sparked when a good friend of mine sent a video of an artist painting on YouTube and I instantly thought “I want to try that”. So I went to Michaels, bought some cheap art supplies, and the rest is history.

My skills and techniques have mainly been developed through trial and error over the years. Formal painting/art education wasn’t something that I had until college, and even then, it was minimal. I learned a lot through my peers and art teachers throughout my junior and senior year of high school, continuing to develop my style and experimenting with different mediums and compositions in my artworks.

The dark academia aesthetic didn’t come into play until about a year and a half ago. Darker themes slowly started making its way into my paintings as I grew a love and appreciation towards the macabre, dark academia, and dark cottage core aesthetics. Classical painters such as Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Leonardo Da Vinci, Rafael, and others have had a huge influence on my techniques and compositions. There’s something about the way they use the human body, space, and color that really fascinates me.

As for my small business Phases Co, the idea of it sparked into my head in 2020 but didn’t fully develop until 2021. I wanted to sell artworks with central themes and aesthetics that people wouldn’t find at a regular store, while also being high quality and (most importantly) eco-friendly. Almost all my products and packaging supplies are sourced sustainably; for instance, my art prints are 100% recycled, the plastic sleeves are compostable, shopping bags are 100% recycled, packing sleeves are 100% recycled, and much more. I sell primarily at the Winter Garden and Celebration Farmers Markets every Saturday and Sunday, and I am so appreciative of everyone who has supported me throughout my journey. Phases Co has only been established for a little over a year now and the impact that I’ve seen it have on people’s lives gives me a sense of fulfillment I can’t fully put into words. I want people to feel comfort and joy in my booth, being inspired to do whatever it is their heart desires after visiting.

I believe my booth provides a visual experience that is unique to the farmers markets. Dark browns and tans dominate the color scheme, old encyclopedia books are scattered around the booth along with botanicals. I have postcards, art prints, and bookmarks displayed on the shelves, of course all relating to the dark academia themes. The business is my pride and joy and I’m hoping to expand it drastically within the upcoming years.

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

One of the most influential things driving my creative journey is the impact it has on other people’s lives. Yes, I paint because I love it and it is my passion, but witnessing people finding inspiration, happiness, or comfort in my artworks drives me to create more.

I can clearly envision my brick-and-mortar store in my head: books dominating the walls, shelves filled with oddities and artworks, the smell of dragon’s blood incense in the air, all in which are illuminated by edison bulbs and fireplaces. As I see myself walking in, I feel peace, comfort, inspiration, curiosity, and wonder. Those are the emotions that I want others to feel when they walk into my booth or my future store.

To create a successful business so enchanting, wondrous, and macabre is something that I work towards every day.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Being a creative isn’t always as easy or beautiful as it looks. Creating for hours on end can be very draining and stressful if not handled properly, and imposter syndrome is a very real thing that I struggle with almost every day. Time management, especially for people in school (like myself) or working multiple jobs can be difficult to grasp as deadlines pop up left and right.

Always remember that we are human and have limitations. Creativity comes in waves, and burnout can hinder our creation process. Be mindful of the amount of time, effort, money, and creativity that is used to create a small business and the products within. I sometimes see people try to take advantage of small business by trying to get a good deal out of their purchase, and it’s not fair in the end. Please respect what they do and how they run their business.

I think one more thing to remember is that everyone has the potential to become whatever it is that they want to be. People often tell me “You’re so talented” or “I wish I could paint like that, I can only draw a stick figure”, but they forget that I’ve been doing this for 5-6 years. I have been constantly working towards building my skill level and techniques through trial and error, my peers, and observing other artists. I didn’t start my business until over a year ago, and even then, it took a year for me to figure out the overall concept. I didn’t have much business education or experience when I created it, and honestly, I’m still figuring things out till this day.

I think the quote by Theodore Roosevelt states this concept perfectly: “Believe you can and you’re halfway there”.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PhasesCoStore
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/machutheartist/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCccXQgYyiWuG1twBV9zQv2Q
• Other: Tik Tok: @machutheartist