We had the good fortune of connecting with Eric Matelski and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Eric, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risks can be scary! However as an artist I have found some of my greater rewards have come from taking risks. A lot of my risks have been about following my passions. The success from these risks are not always weighed financially but can be measured by the joy it has brought me and others. At the age of 17 I had decided to move from the Chicago area to go to art school in Colorado. I had been traveling out to visit my older sister for years and fell in love with it. So I made a plan. I graduated High School early and as soon as I turned 18 I backed my car and headed west. Leaving home at a young age was very risky but in March I will proudly celebrate 31 years here in Colorado.
I love music and took a risk by writing songs and singing in local punk band for about 5 years. We did not get very far but we recorded a few times, We had a lot of fun and when we decided to call it quits, I decided I still wanted to follow my love for music. This inspired me to start painting live at music events. This led to working with a lot of local and some national bands. It also opened the doors for painting live at some corporate events.
I took a risk at curating other artist works at local restaurants and venues. This opened my eyes to the wonderful community of artists we have in Colorado. There were two years in a row that I hung over 100 art shows. This also spawned a local artist talk show that I hosted for 4 years at Dazzle Restaurant and lounge. This is around the time that I adapted the moniker of Art Pimp.
I had a need to learn more about curation and helped and studied with one of my favorite local curators Joshua Hassel. Joshua called me one day and and asked me if I had ever done street chalk art and if I wanted to be sponsored as an artist at the Denver Chalk art Festival. I had messed with oil pastels before but never with chalk pastels. I took the risk. I had a lot to learn that first year but the collective of talented artists at that festival are like a family. Many of them helped me out that first year. I have participated in the Denver Chalk art festival for the last 20 years and help with the artist committee as well. Doing chalk art also gave me one of my favorite experiences. This experience was doing chalk art for Harley-Davidson both here in Denver and in Guam.
I took a risk during COVID and hosted some timed entry small art shows for myself and other artists. This inspired me to do more shows in my own space. This allows me to not just curate the artwork but a whole experience for guests.. This summer we will bring my experiences full circle by hosting a small art show in my studio along with our first backyard concert with an international musician.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The biggest influences in my art are music, family, community, and the magic of holidays like Halloween and Christmas. This is a slightly eclectic mix but I attempt to use them all to create a sense of nostalgia. If it is one of my live paintings it is that memory of band or event. If it is a chalk mural, it gets washed away so it truly is something that is only there in the moment. Both the live painting and the chalk become a performance as well. It is all about the engagement of the artist and the spectator. All of my studio work is all about creating imagery that can hopefully tap into a very general nostalgia. When I host art shows I want to play off of all the senses. I take a lot of time to think about creating an experience that brings you closer to the art and the artist. I bring in musicians or create playlists that vibe with the art or artist. I like to prepare snacks or sometimes full meals that relate to the theme of the show. The aesthetics of environment are very important. I like to create cozy spaces for guests to be able to sit and have conversations about the work. If the room is small I still find ways to have spots that guest feel comfortable hanging out. I want them to be able to absorb the work. I often invite a guest or two that help to carry the energy of the party.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh, boy! I love this kind of stuff. I have also worked as a manager in the brewery industry for a long time now. My wife and I also have two Air BnB spaces on our property. You can see more about that at yorkstbnb.com. We often recommend some day trips. Our favorites include Estes Park, Horsetooth Reservoir, Gross Reservoir, Garden of the Gods, and Red Rocks. We are all about the Denver neighborhoods. We live near RiNo so that is a full day excursion. Breakfast at Crema, Lunch at the Denver Central Market, Dinner is a toss up for me of Cart Driver or Noble Riot (Fried Chicken and Champagne). We recommend touring the breweries, distilleries, wineries, cider and sake makers in between your meals as well as soaking up all of the wonderful murals as you walk the neighborhood. We also recommend visits to the Tennyson St./ Berkeley neighborhood, South Broadway/ Baker and Overland. Some of our other favorite food and drink locations include Angelo’s, Watercourse, Hops & Pie, Tom’s Diner, Fire (inside the Art Hotel), Red Barber (inside the Cat Bird hotel), Brutal Poodle, Walter’s 303, Lechuga’s, La Pasadita Inn, and Dazzle. Denver has a wonderful food seen and there are sooooooooo many good places to recommend. I know I am missing a ton of the ones we recommend to guests.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There have been a lot of people who have influenced me and have been role models. I can already hear the Oscar speech cut off music playing so I will keep this as direct as possible. My Parents always encouraged me to take art classes and learn different mediums. My mother was a painter and seamstress. She also shared my love for Halloween and spooky movies. At the age of 14 my mother arranged for me to meet with a local sculptor that created Halloween displays. His name was David Link and he took me on as an apprentice for about 4 years. David was a big mentor to me.
Other people that have helped to fuel my art career are my sister Bonnie, my wife Amy, and every artist I have ever worked with. There are so many artists and I fear leaving one out so I cannot possibly just list a few.
Some books that have inspired my work are “Art and Fear” by David Bayles and Ted Orland, “Watermelon Sugar” by Richard Brautigan, and “Skinny Legs and All” by Tom Robbins.
Website: ericmatelski.com
Instagram: Art_Pimp
Linkedin: Eric Matelski
Facebook: Eric Matelski and Gallerski Studio