Matt Sesow Interview

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7/6/26, 7:04 AM

Matt Sesow October 2002 interview

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DC Paper "Northwest Passages" writes about Matt Sesow
October 2002
by Matt Swenson

https://www.sesow.com/passage2k2.htm

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By MATT SWENSON
‘Current Stat Writer

‘cated on the wall of
Matt Sesow’s Adams

gan apartment

painting of a litle

sitting with her
father. A closer
‘examination of the
artwork reveals the
father is missing his
right leg, and that
the daughter is keep-
ing him upright.

‘The point of the
piece is that the girl
brings balance to her
father not only in
the physical sense,
but also emotionally.
Ilis characteristic of
the style Sesow has
employed in his
paintings for the last
ight years.

‘One glance at the
36-year-old
Nebraska native
makes it clear where
Sesow draws his
inspiration for the
piece: He has no left arm.

‘Where his arm would be is
the reminder of a childhood
accident when a plane's pro-
peller severed the left arm of the
previously left-handed Sesow.

‘Twenty-cight years later,
Sesow is at ease with his dis-
ability, as he has led a produc-
tive life — first in the computer
industry and now with his art
work.

“The accident was probably

batps:/www.sesow.com/passag.

Matt Sesow October 2002 interview

hharder on my family,” said
Sesow. “My brothe
ter saw it happen. They had 10
deal with i” And it is how his
family dealt with the trauma
that Sesow credits for where he

across the country.
“My family was really sup-
portive,” he said. “They are the
reason I'am so well-adjusted.”
‘One-armned or not, Sesow
hhad what he calls “a typical
Nebraska childhood,” playing
‘on the offensive line of his high
school’s football team and run-
ning track as well. In his spare
time, he became the school’s
version of "Doogie Howser,” as
he put it, by becoming a com-

nd my sis-

ORTHWEST
ASSAGES

NORTHWEST WASHINGTON

Disabled artist gains nationwide exposure

OcToBeR 9, 2002

Bil Petvos/The Current

Matt Sesow, whose work is currently on display at a Dupont Circle
gallery, has a wide range of work, including “Hippity Hoppity,” a

2002 oil on chipboard.

puter whiz.
Following his graduation
from the University of Tulsa,
Sesow went to work for IBM,
which led him to the District.

“Back then, it used to be
challenging to do computer
research,” said the artist. "It
used to be cool when it was hard.

See Artist/Page 23,

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batps:!/ www sesow.com/passage2K2 htm

Matt Sesow October 2002 interview

ARTIST
From Page 19

Now I have a sense everyone is an
expert on compute

While still working on comput-
er software, Sesow picked up
painting, teaching himself simply
by creating piece after piece.

it was unique, challenging,”
said Sesow of what drew him to
painting, "If I felt selling newspa-
pers was unique, I'd be selling
newspapers.”

‘On the canvas, or whatever
other surfaces Sesow was painting
on, his thoughts began manifest-
ing themselves in the form of art
Not surprisingly, many dealt
disabilities and childhood tra
mas.

“That's what set me apart in the
beginning,” said Sesow, whose
work hus become part of several
Sept. 11-felated exhibits because
of the themes he broaches.

Physically, having one arm has
had little impact on his work, be
said, though Sesow admits that he
can't draw a straight line and
sometimes his apartment gets
pretty messy when he paints for
his customary cight hours a day.

At a 1995 Georgetown street
art festival, Sesow completed his
first sale and finished with 12
sales by the end of the day. “That
made me a bit more confident,”
Sesow remembered. Now, he wins
prizes regularly, including second
place in the recent Adams Morgan
Day art show.

In his early stages, Sesow said,
he felt like he was a bit “pigcon-
held” as either a folk artist or
being grouped in with other dis-
abled artists. But as time has
passed — and with Sesow making
the decision to go full time with
his art 18 months ago — his audi-
ence base has grown to include
collectors of all sorts.

At the same (ime the artist gave
up his computer programming,
Sesow also broke away from his
art agent in an effort to broaden
his horizons. The decision has
paid off, selling hundreds of paint
ings for prices ranging from $15
5,000. Usually, the price is
fairly adjustable, Sesow said, not
ing that “If someone likes my
work, | want them to have it.”

include “Atrophy,” oil on canvas-
board. Sesow made his first sale
at a Georgetown art market.

He has not adjusted his style
entirely, though, when it comes to
promoting his art. Many of
Sesow’s paintings are part of
America, Oh, Yes Galleries across
the country, which highlight the
work done by disabled self-taught
artists. One such exhibition is ran-
ning through Nov. 30 in the
District's America. Oh, Yes

allery, located at 1700
Connecticut. Ave. in Dupont
Circle.

Sesow has not forgotten his
computer expertise, He posts
images of his paintings on his Web
site, www.sesow.com, “The Web
site is my No. | method of sal
he said, noting that some will just
buy paintings based on the images
on the site while others will set up
appointments upon seeing the
Internet collection.

After painting for so long,
Sesow rarely keeps his own paint-
ings, preferring that others see
them. His schedule is usually dic-
tated by shows, as he produces
hundreds of works a year so they
can be scen in galleries as far
away «ts Los Angeles.

Many of the artists Sesow met
when he first began art have
moved on, Sesow noted. “They
tell their story and they stop.” said
Sesow, who has no such plans of
retiring his paintbrush. “I think
my urt is interesting beyond who I

“L think people are taking me
more seriously now,” be said,

34

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Matt Sesow October 2002 interview

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PAINTINGS...

https://www.sesow.com/passage2k2.htm

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