We recently connected with Matthew Weinberg and have shared our conversation below.

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

The first thing I wanted to do as a child was to draw cartoons. I knew early on that I couldn’t get enough of the medium in my own life. I drew all the time on pretty much everything I could get my hands on, starting from the time I was in a highchair. Often distracting me to the detriment of my schoolwork. My teachers called me a daydreamer.

When I think about it, there hasn’t been a time in my life when I didn’t want to be an artist. I love to emerse myself in different mediums. To me art is art, and if you’re an actor, painter, writer or musical visionary it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you figure out what to do with that spark of creativity when it pops, and harness it. Do them all I say. If you have the passion, I think it’s creatively illigal to deny it.

I have had several jobs where i was there only to make money and pay the bills. But in the end I was never happy and always saught refuge in my pen. I was probably 30 though when I realized I literally wouldn’t be happy doing anything else.

Matthew , 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?

One specific thing that has molded me, is the city where I grew up. I would be skipping over a huge part of who I am if I didn’t start out by saying I was born and bred in Los Angeles. I love my city. I like to incorporate little notes to L.A. in my work that are there for people who know where to look.

The thing I love the most about this place, is that people feel free to express their individuality here with far less judgement than many places. The result is amazing art, a variety of culture, music, fashion and food and the ability to obtain pretty much anything you want to on any given day. There is an element of danger here that heightens your senses and in a weird way it’s exciting.

I don’t have a normal day at the office, I have projects. I work on several projects at a time because some are collaborations and scheduling is a real thing. I enjoy the back and forth when I am working with certain artists. The right collab will bring out the best in both of you and that makes the process even more special.

Finding something to do with my time is the easy part. I can always paint. I like function though so I lately I have been repurposing old furniture and making that my canvass. I enjoy working on wood, especially. I love the smell when I sand it, the texture when I’m done and mostly the way the material drinks up the pigment when I paint it. The resin process is tough for me, but it’s rewarding.

I spend a fair amount of time screen printing on garments in my studio. I vary my colors and my prints all the time so no two shirts or hoodies are exactly alike. I’ll even change the colors on my lable. The one constant among all of my blanks is that I use the brand, Bella + Canvass. I don’t sacrifice comfort for style and B+C has both. Also I won’t sell a garment that I wouldn’t personally wear. It’s that simple. And they’re made in America.

As far as fashion design, I’ve grown to be a passionate believer in upcycling in the last several years. I stopped eating red meat around a decade ago and haven’t purchased a new leather jacket since. I would however buy one that is already in existence.

I found one once, that I loved and had to have. It was a tad small but that made it even cooler. (I was thinner then) I bought it, and after not too long the material around the elbow ripped. I paid four times as much to fix the jacket as I did to originally acquire it. I had my tailor stitch it up in a thick, hot pink Frankenstein pattern. I accentuated the tear and it looked insane!

My girlfriend at the time thought I was nuts, but I knew I’d never find another jacket that looked and fit exactly like that one … and I also know that you can’t put a price tag on style. This accident led me to the business of customizing and repurposing vintage clothing. That jacket has ripped itself up and been put back together so many times that it looks slightly different in its photots throughout the years.

Starting with, but not limited to leather jackets I add my own flair and rock’n’roll sensibilities to my projects and turn them all first into something that I would wear out to an event. Then I ask myself, would my girlfriend want to borrow this, and never give it back? And if the answer is yes, the piece is done.

I take personal pride in all of my creations. The most rewarding things is seeing someones’ expression when they try a piece on that’s maybe a little bit flashier that they thought they could pull off, but when they see it. on themselves they light up.
That’s a type of satisfaction you can not buy. At that moment whether they purchase or not, I changed their day for the better and that’s a superpower.

I have several projects going at the moment, including but not limited to a bid on a mural, a book cover, an album cover and some custom garments that all take up my time. Did I mention I love to write?

I have a print release coming up with, Moby Arts in Downtown L.A. and plan on releasing it with an NFT edition to coincide.

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

For me the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the creative process. I love coming up with different concepts and figuring out how to execute them. I enjoy gaining experience in new mediums and techniques and adding them to my arsenal. And eventually when I get good enough at something I can tweak that process just enough to put my own spin on it.

I also love the reward of actualizing something that once only existde in my mind. To see something through from concept to reality is a win, in itself.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

My view on NFT’s is curious optimism, and I have decided to jump in with both feet. I have a Crypto wallet, and some limited experience in the field. My cousin minted some of my art for me on, Open Sea about a year ago but I wasn’t really involved in the process. I am changing that scenario.

I have recently met several people who are artists and innovators in that field and they have sparked my interest even further. My goal now is to coordinate a limited edition, signed print release from a new, original piece, mint the NFT edition and release them concurrently. The image is complete. The prints are on the way and the next step is all carved out, I am very excited about the future of this medium.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mewbymatthew.com/
• Instagram: @matthewweinberg
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MatthewEdwardWeinberg
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mewtheartist
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3GC6z2lHscOg1byqOrslCA
• Other: https://www.mew4u.com/

Image Credits
B/W Profile Picture Photo Credit to Maria Turner / IG / @mariaturner7