Meet Matt Verges

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Verges.

Matt, before we jump into specific questions about your art, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in a small river town in Missouri, about an hour south of St. Louis. I lived across the street from a park with a pretty substantial wild area towards the back. This afforded me plenty of time to explore nature, plants, animals, and a small creek to play in.

I was always interested in art as a child, drawing animals, monsters, and superheroes. My disdain for authority and traditional schooling resulted in me having plenty of time to practice my drawing while not listening to my teachers.

As I grew older, my interests bounced around from comic books, tattoos, skateboarding, punk, and metal bands. After my time in high school, I didn’t want to jump right into college, so I spent some time traveling, and just living that young, poor, and punk lifestyle. I tried my hand at tattooing, indie comics, and screenprinting. Eventually, all that led me to digital art, and I found a place designing tee shirts and album covers for punk and metal bands, something I still do today.

In 2009, I moved to Denver to take over an old union print shop. I was busy as a small business owner, but I learned a lot about print and design and was afforded the freedom to continue working on my own art. Eventually, things fell through with the print shop due to personal differences, and changes in the printing business.

Disillusioned, I got a job doing creative art in a local t-shirt shop, mostly drawing fish and wildlife for hunting and fishing shirts. It was a typical 9 to 5 in an office building with no windows, far from the nature I grew up in. I got married to a wonderful woman who is also very creative, and she supported me as I started participating in gallery shows around Denver. Eventually, my artwork was taking off, and I was able to quit my job and do art full time. We also had our first child by this point, and life was just easier and more affordable to stay home with her during the day.

Currently, I show my art in local galleries and trade shows, while continuing to do freelance artwork for bands, magazines, indie films, and clothing companies on the side. I stay home with my (now two) daughters and do my best to get them doing creative work alongside me. I’ve resigned into my new title as Old Punk Art Dad, and have found that a minivan works just as well to haul art around as it does to haul kids.

This year, I plan to take my art on the road. I’ve booked a few shows around the country, and I’m excited to see what the rest of the country has in store for me.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
As with any creative pursuit, it’s not always easy, either physically or mentally. Losing the print shop in 2013 dealt me a huge emotional blow, and it took me a long while to recover. My Art Collective, Red Wolf, had an amazing shared space in Rino that closed earlier this year, and that felt like a huge loss as well.

Struggling with depression can make it hard to find and hold onto that creative spark as well. I wish I had better advice for that. With my tight schedule, I’ve discovered that there is little time to waste, and I just try to force myself to work no matter what. Eventually, you can rise out of that funk, even if it’s only in fits and starts at first.

Being a stay at home dad also comes with this own particular challenges, but I’ve found that the benefits far outweigh the challenges. I’ve often said that leaving my job to stay home with the kids and work on my art was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’m lucky to have the support of an awesome family, who encourages me to do what I do.

We’d love to hear more about your art.
I specialize in nature art with a surrealist vibe to it. I tend to go dark at times, with skulls and other oddities, but I try to maintain a sense of playfulness or beauty. My work often outwardly focuses on death, but I strive for it to be just as much a celebration of life as well. Finding the light in the dark.

As an avid collector myself (toys, comics, art, vinyl, graphic tees, etc.), I’ve inevitably ended up focusing on using my art in all sorts of fun merch applications. My art is on shirts, skate decks, prints, lapel pins, and I’m working on branching out into the world of designer toys this year or next.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Along the way, I’ve had invaluable help from my Red Wolf Collective mates, especially Cody Keuhl and Amanda Vela. They helped me get my start in the Denver Gallery Scene. They pointed the way, and I followed.

My printers and suppliers have been incredibly patient and helpful with me. I try to get all my printing, shirts, and other merch made as locally as possible. This not only allows me to have a hands-on approach with my products but supports local businesses as well. Their work is what turns my ideas into reality.

I mentioned it above, but the support of my family cannot be overstated. I am incredibly privileged to have work that allows me to spend so much time with them, and they have supported me in that every step of the way.

Pricing:

• Coming from a DIY punk rock background, It’s important to me to keep my art affordable. Most of my work is available for anywhere between $10-$200

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mattverges.com
• Phone: 303-519-9032
• Email: vergesmatt@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/mattverges

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