Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Wilson. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Matt Wilson was born and raised in Greenville, S.C., and from a young age showed, not only an interest in art but an innate creative talent. His senior year of high school, he was accepted to attend studio art classes at the Fine Arts Center of Greenville, the first specialized art school in the state. From 2002 to 2005, Matt attended Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC, where he worked on an arts degree in drawing and painting. In 2006, Wilson was not only ready for a change in scenery, but also for a change in medium. He moved to Charleston, S.C. and became interested in metal sculpture, and motivated to learn a new skill. Following a job lead, he gained an interview with Detyens Shipyards for a welding position. Upon interviewing with Loy Stewart, the owner of Detyens, he was offered a unique opportunity – to become the resident artist and learn how to weld. Matt’s primary job is to build metal models of the ships that are serviced in the shipyard. The models are then given to the port engineers as a “thank you for your business”. When he’s not building ships, he is working on producing new creations.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ups and downs. I was never taught how to price my art, so that was an initial struggle. Artist blocks are very real. Sometimes I’m in the flow and feel great about what I’m making. Other times, I have no motivation and feel like everything I make is crap.
There are lots of copycats out there, which is frustrating. This is the way I provide for my family, so to see someone else claim ownership and capitalize on my design is pretty upsetting.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I make sculptures out of upcycled materials, mostly utensils. I would say I’m most known for my bird sculptures.
I’m most proud of the Samurai sculpture I did a couple of years ago.
I’d say what sets me apart from others is my ability to think steps ahead in the process. I create like an engineer, rather than just slapping it together.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
To trust myself and my eye. That things can’t be rushed.
Contact Info:
- Email: airtightartwork@gmail.com
- Website: www.airtightartwork.com
- Instagram: @airtightartwork
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AirtightArtwork
