False Start — falsestart.org, “Matt Sesow Interview”

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Photographed by Matt Sesow from his press packets, October 18, 2026; text transcribed from the photos by Claude.

Matt Sesow Interview.. http://www.falsestart.org/mattsesow.html
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Matt Sesow

In this current interview I got the honors to ask painter Matt Sesow about his work. This interview took place 01/04

When did you start painting?

I started painting as a hobby at night and on weekends in 1993 while I was working at IBM as a computer programmer.

What inspires you to paint?

Back in 1993, and for the first four years or so, I used childhood trauma as my main inspiration....I was hit by a landing airplane's propeller when I was eight years old...the propeller led to the amputation of my left hand. Nowadays my inspiration comes from everywhere. I use imagery from current events, political stuff. Occasionally my figures will be in various stages of amputation and deformity. I enjoy intense imagery. I like horrific faces, big teeth, shock, and lips.....sharp lines that cut through the fabric of the canvas and the figures. Blood red backgrounds and deep black highlights add to the effect.

Do you paint everyday?

Yes. Everyday I paint. I'm a full time painter and support myself entirely off the sales of my paintings.

When you are working on a new painting, do you know where you are going with it, or do you go with what you are feeling in that moment?

All the painting are different. It depends on my mood. Some nights if I'm really drunk, hanging out with people, I like to have a wide assortment of paint and materials in front of me that I grab randomly to begin a new work. Usually, When like that, I'll see images after the first bits of paint and lines are down. (I think Frida worked that way). I can come up with emotional theme quickly and work on the fine details to complete the piece. Those are usually the very raw pieces...sometimes they end up taking hours....just to get it right. Sometimes something that began as a laugh or an adhoc piece becomes serious and important. Othertimes, Ill research the composition and labor over the placement of figures. I may use a picture from a magazine or web to get gestures and facial expressions....occcasionally I'll use a model, but that is infrequent, and my girlfriend discourages this practices.

How do you describe yourself as an artist?

Deeply frustrated over my direction and ability. I can't stop and I challenge any artist to keep up with me. I think I'm more of a painter than an artist.

Do you get emotionally attached to your work and do you miss your work when it is sold?

When I first started selling large works I used to cry like a school girl when they sold. It was hard to see my kids being hauled off from my studio. that was about five years ago...nowadays, after having created around 4,000 pieces, it's hard for me to play favorites. I know my best work are at least ten years away. I'm like an urban eight year old shooting free throws all day dreaming of becoming the next Michael Jordan. I really don't follow any sport, so that is a silly example I suppose. But it's true.....I'am just practing right now, I can almost dunk the ball.....some people are taking notice.

Do you have a favorite artist?

I'm my favorite artist. I do enjoy visiting the many free museums here in Washington DC. I like the works of Francis Bacon, Willem Dekooning, Basquiat, and Van Gogh. the Jesus trauma paintings at the National Gallery of Art are cool too.

You have also done short films, tell me about that?

Growing up in Nebraska, years before I ever thought of painting, my parents would take my family to Florida every Christmas to visit my grandparents. They lived within driving distance to St. Petersburg, where the Salvador Dali museum is. I probably went to the Dali museum about five times... anyway, I enjoyed hearing the stories of the eccentric Dali, what the paintings meant, etc.,...But the paintings seemed grand and impossible to accomplish, however I heard that he also did the film "Un Chien Andulou" in 1928.... so I bought it from the gift shop and became fascinated with the imagery. When I finally had the time, the guts and a camera, I started making short Dali-like films in 1992. Most of them are little stories about me. I've done twelve so far and they are available on a dvd that I give to the collectors of my paintings (1993-2003) in the coming year. I expect to do several more films in the future.

What are you doing when you are not painting or doing short movies?

I really don't do anything other than paint nowadays....just ask the people that try to get me out of my studio. My girlfriend is a painter too, so our dates are painting dates. I do play video games and watch rented movies from time to time. Harmony Korine is my favorite filmmaker.

I would like to give a big thanks to Matt for taking the time to do this interview. You can see more of Matt Sesow amazing paintings at his web site at www.sesow.com

[Printed 1/20/04 11:40 PM; pages 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3]