Sesow interview

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Sesow interview, 2002

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Matt Sesow interview with Getunderground.com

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06 AM

Sesow interview, 2002

remember your spirit (view all columns)

(WTF?! ] - 10.16.02 - by: Star Jewel Smith
(email this article to a friend)

Innocent child
held ransom by destiny
‘uided to the runway
helibound faces of darkness:
conquer death

felease

hopeful. spirit

bring light and life

to the world

when matt sesow was eight years old
he was playing In an airfield near his
home in lincoln nebraska,..2e 2 small
Plane landed his left arm was severed
above the elbow by the ane of the
Propellers...recently with the account
Of his frlend matt reconstructed the
Incident and documented it on the back
Of his painting guided to the runway

los angeles self taught and educated
artist carol es who fs also.a survivor of
’ traumatic childhood experience
Introduced me to the artistry of matt

ssow...highly intrigued by the plethora
of brutally passionate art available for
view on his website sesow.com |
arranged to meet matt on a perfect
Summer sunday afternoon at his studio
‘and home in adams morgan washington
ac

when | arrived matt was on the

Phone...a rare occurrence ‘since matt
spends his days \solated Inside his studio thrashing his innermost being Into
visual expression... left @ message on his voicemail saying i was waiting
outside to gain entrance to the bullding...after ten mintues as | was ready to
call again matt appeared on the doorstep and greeted me.

once inside his studio | was intoxicated
by the stimulating and alarming red
brightness that characterizes the
majority of his artwork decking the
halls and walls of his flat..since the
essence of art supplies wafting through
the alr permeated my bloodstream |
refused the beer he offered me and
Instead Immersed myself in the words
‘of a man who in spite of

‘and shyness is living the life of a truly
Gedicated artist...2 life he did not
foresee or plan but happened on by
circumstance and perhaps fate as i his,
guide to the runway predestined his

his former wife artist carole mecallum
Introduced matt to the world of art...0s

they dated matt challenged himself to

paint as he desired to develop an

fntimate connection with the woman he

loved...with the moral support of carole

2 confident powerful and uniquely Individual artistic articulation manifested in
Vivid colar..although much of his work expresses. the trauma of his past matt
courageously lives and breathes in the present and moves forward into the
future with the ever changing political and social climate of our society

nw sesow.con/under2k

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06 AM

Sesow interview, 2002

matt earns a decent

artist..after saving his earning

Career in the computer field he

able to buy his studio on columbia road

In northwest dc...his talents allow him

to maintain his own website and

coordinate his gallery appearances all

over the united states...he also has &

substantial amount of collectors who

have a vested interest in his
ork...driven to succeed yet stay clear

of the Influence of mainstream

manipulation one of his goals

artist ts to make art a¢

everyone

In september i at
eremonial festivities of the twentyfifth
annual adams morgan day art exhibit
‘and celebration held at the meridian
International art center where his work
‘guided to the runway was on
dsplay...! had the pleasure of meeting
His friend photographer michael olliver and his girlfriend artist dana ellyn
kautfman,..at stx am the following day he and dana hand carried an enormous
amount of large and small pieces and set up a booth on the shady side street
2 block from his home for the two day festival

‘rode the metro to adams morgan

Mad wotked 2 mile to the
Festival... was a lovely day to be
outside...biue sky sunny and

refreshing...after browsing around
returned ta his booth to see how
sales for the day were going...0s
Wwe spoke matt was Informed he
‘would be receiving an award.
wanted to be there at the
ceremony and capture it on film
however he asked me to oversee
his work and attend to customers
50 | readily agreed...\ instinctively
thought of his intial self
consciousness about discussing
prices when he first

Selling art years ago at the georgetown flea market...

\ smiled and chatted with people who
sifted through the boxes of smaller and

affordable four by six everyman

paintings...0 gentleman looking through

the array of ten by fourteens spoke

with me While he tried to make his

decision.,.before matt departed matt

‘agreed the man could purchase three

for thirty dollars..the man laid some

out on the table,..ne switched them in

‘and out and we eyed the

combinations...he wanted to frame

them and display them as 2 set so we looked for three complimentary
‘contrasting portraits...matt paints some images over and over...though they
are all the same image In subject they differ distinctly in color mood and
design...after making @ decision | set them aside unbl matt returned so he

quite a number of people were surprised matt was not around and | assured his
Quick return... bragged to his more affluent customers that matt would return
shortly from receiving his second place award for best in show to price the
large canvases they sought to buy...upon his return we taped his award to the
pole on his booth...matt offered me a painting as a gift for assisting in his
absence...(t was a tough decision like choosing the other smaller work he
Offered me the day of our first meeting...bath paintings are nicely framed and
hang on a wall near my den workstation

'2 week later on another perfect
summer day | met up with matt again at
2 street art festival In chinatown...he
‘and dana had made their way across de
via. public transportation with both his
and her art packed in portfolios and
backpacks...thelr booths were
stationed side by side...08 matt

nw sesow.con/under2k

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06 AM

Sesow interview, 2002

explained to me selling their art
{2 painting together on occasion 1s,
their typical date...together they
‘exemplify 3 romantic yet realistic and
achievable notion of individuality and
togetherness as they both work to
attain their desired artistic
accomplishments.

patrons matt told me of his desire to
fetum to a deeper and more intimate

expression of darkness and

release of intense emotion matt has
‘overcome as he has risen from darkness into the light through his

‘matt and artists lke him are role
‘models for others who face the same

uggles like all the
courageous artists on exhibit at the los
angeles art show held ransom...they
possess the ability to teach through
‘example how to cape with and
‘overcome uncontrollable circumstance
{and misfortune...through their inner
strength and courage they overcome
{and balance their lives into a positive
fexistence...they also teach people who
have a tendency to blow out of
proportion ordinary day to day
problems and imperfections as well as
tunwitingly take for granted and forget
the blessing of life

remember your spirit..this 1s the time
to share Ilfe love and create...rejolce In
the soulful beauty of humanity

‘matt..thank you for that most
important reminder...you are @ truly
beautiful human being

{for more information on and to view more art by artist matt sesow p!

ups:

nw sesow.con/under2k

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PAINTINGS.

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