Conversations with Matthew Dowling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Dowling.

Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today. You can include as little or as much detail as you’d like.
Freedom reigned for a kid who loved to be outdoors and create new things. My parents both worked long hours in order to support the family, so the kids were trusted to be left unattended at home. Sometimes, I demonstrated ‘questionable’ judgment, as kids often do. I was too easily influenced by the wrong people and did some stupid shit, like shooting out street lights with a BB gun, all to satisfy an unhealthy addiction to adrenaline. But the vast majority of my time was spent satisfying my curiosity about how to make things. Art and creativity were always there for me—a needed constant. I had been complimented and encouraged to make things since the 5th grade, when my parents agreed to let me paint murals in the basement. My dad loved the vintage WWII fighter planes covering the walls, and the rest was history.

Fast forward to the present day, and it’s still largely occupied by art and visual communication. I love the process of solving visual problems, like the ones presented in finishing a painting. I’m now retired from teaching art, and in this period of transition, life is presenting its share of rewards and challenges. I’ve been fortunate to pursue my goal of monetizing creative thinking. The reward is in choosing my own path pursuing something I love. My wife has always respected my abilities as an artist and encouraged me to find my authentic, expressive voice in paint. But that’s also the challenge, because I’m responsible for creating a plan and executing it to the best of my ability. Fun and fear all rolled up into one life goal.

Life these days resembles a painting. Neither is ever really completed. I’m constantly evaluating it, trying to make it better—a dab of blue here, a green there, and never really resting in a state of total satisfaction. It’s easier to revel in the process when you know perfection in life is an unrealistic and impossible goal. Be present in the process.

Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My path to the present has never been smooth. I’d call it a dirt road with a random smattering of rocks, potholes, and waterboards that made me slow my roll and proceed more thoughtfully before gunning it through the smoother sections. I don’t think we’d be living life if everything was smooth. Yes, I inherently seek the path of least resistance in whatever I do (except mountain biking), but the problems of life, the bumps in the road, demand engagement and a response to overcome the challenge. I feel most alive when creatively solving problems, knowing that I’ve smashed through whatever obstacle was standing in my way. That’s the attraction of being creative; of making art.

It took a long time and is still a work in progress, but at age 58, I realize that my biggest struggles in life were often self imposed. Fear of failure prevented risk-taking, but taking risks is critical to personal growth and eventual success. Failures, those bumps in the road, are necessary, but something that I have tried to avoid. There’s always been a level of caution and worry in my approach to things, including art. The advantage of this safe approach is that I avoid going too low on the happiness scale. Caution tends to smooth out potential bumps. But caution also prevents a true ascension on the happiness scale. Who knows what I’ve missed out on for fear of failing? I suppose it’s comforting to avoid emotional extremes, but I can’t help but wonder if I’m not aware of what pure bliss truly feels like. This realization itself has helped me get closer to a state of true happiness through awareness, but it’s a work in progress.

We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
Patience, patience, patience…

I say that to myself about a thousand times a day as a constant reminder that my art career, like life, requires a lot of work in the background, out of sight, and in the shadows to have a chance of succeeding. It takes time, failure, heartfelt commitment, and resilience to find an audience that’s willing to pay for my talents. My first impulse is to boast about my successes and clarify why I’m such a badass artist. That’s what I’m supposed to do to promote myself. But honesty requires a willingness to reveal vulnerability. Life is not a string of posts on social media. Honestly, I’m still searching.

For now, my definition of artistic success involves a move towards monetizing my creative efforts. Thus far, it’s been a ‘somewhat’ successful transition with a few painting commissions and sales. But honestly, the market is incredibly difficult to navigate. It’s saturated, so finding a niche that’s interested in my authentic creative voice has proven to be elusive. I need to find my people.

At this point in time, I’m moving away from a two year exploration of abstraction and trying to find a receptive audience for mural painting. I’ve always enjoyed the physical nature of large-format painting. Completing murals is a full-body experience. It’s a series of movements that leave a mark, and at a scale that can’t be ignored. Personalizing someone’s home or workspace is incredibly satisfying. The reception to my mural work has provided a fresh burst of energy to my life as a working artist. I look forward to seeing where this could go.

How do you define success?
Success, to me, involves creating objects that draw viewers in for a closer look, then prompting an investigation, a deeper dive, into learning more about themselves or the part of the world depicted in the piece. To do that, I need an audience for the work, and that’s been the biggest challenge for me as a working creative.

I’ve never been one to promote myself. People who brag about themselves or the product they’re selling have always been a turnoff to me. The motive is usually greed-based, and I’ve had so many experiences with people overpromising and underdelivering. My guard is up. I’m working to establish trust with my clients by underpromising and overdelivering on what was expected in the transaction.

But in the art market, self-promotion is necessary to succeed, so I’m trying to brand myself in a more mindful, authentic manner. Success isn’t about the money. I’d like to make enough to dignify my efforts while living comfortably. But to me, success is more about influence—steering perception, thought, and conversation in meaningful directions that lead to more awareness. Reaching for relevance and impact on the viewer is the ultimate goal.

Pricing:

• 25% down payment upon agreement of the work’s content, format, media, and sizing.
• Murals: $10-$40/sq ft, depending on the level of detail and surface prep requirements. Mural Client Brief Link: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/62e9f0db0f427c1cfbc720a2/t/64912a2549e8281da11192e2/1687235109387/Dowling_MuralBrief.png
• Painting: Priced by the linear inch. $6-$12 depending on level of detail.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mdowlingcreative.com/about
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhale_art_network/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=matt%20dowling%20creative
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattdowlingcreative/
• Youtube: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCCIp33vaHh2vKRc8nFzCrvQ/videos/upload?filter=%5B%5D&sort=%7B%22columnType%22%3A%22date%22%2C%22sortOrder%22%3A%22DESCENDING%22%7D