This is who I am

I see several artists on Instagram and YouTube that attempt to define the term “artist” to those that may not know what it means. I have known for a long time that I was different, I knew I looked at things differently from the other people around me. For me using the title of artist is more about  a way of being. We notice, we feel, we create. It’s who we are. It’s what we do. I have a style, I have visual ques that are repeated, color drives the creation of series for me. I like who I am and what I do as an artist I like the challenges associated with bringing my visions to life. I have a desire to grow as an artist, to challenge my norms while expanding my style, experimenting with processes and materials. I fail, I miss the mark, I make poor material choices, I just cant produce that vision. This is all part of the process of creating and I have found I truly enjoy all of the processes I endure for my style. Peace

The man purse

Been here done this, got my new bag yesterday, started the process of provisioning this bag. Going to make some fundamental changes to the strap and zipper pulls add a bunch o Matt junk on the outside to schlep around on my daily journeys. This bag is big enough to carry my sketch book and journal the journal has some weight, new 5 lb. burden in life. Peace

and another container

I recently acquired a very interesting antique small chest. I am the proud curator and 4th owner of a 115 year old film industry piece. Used in the film industry for 70 years by two gentlemen who would lock up actors personal stuff during filming (glasses, rings, watches). I am presently using this piece as a place to “store” the stuff of my life. You all know dads top drawer with all that “stuff” we collect along the way in this life. I will post more about this piece and what I have planned for it. Peace

Another personal project

Well I lost my billfold, not a traditional giant man ass bump, I gave those up about 20 years ago. It was one of those cards only ones, the issue is I have been wearing sweats and the pockets suck. I have rethought how I transport keys, phone, and wallet. I have gone the man purse route, kinda did it in my old corporate thing. This time it will be different the new bag, and wallet arrive today, Mattize will begin immediately. This will be an ongoing thing as my materials are all in storage and as usual my vision of this bag is epic. Peace

how to stay creative without a studio

Well kids, Moving, been here, doing it again. This is my second move with me identifying as a creative and thus moving my studio. I learned a lot from the first move it ended up being 6 months without a studio. I don’t anticipate this move will take that long, but you never know. I have my journal and sketch book handy at all times, I keep all my ideas in these two places. A regular review of past entries is important, I’m prolific in my generation of notes to myself. Revisiting these moments brings my “stuff” into clarity ad drives early iterations of designs and styles. I will have a lot of new “stuff” to get into the process over the next couple of months. Peace

mikes tool box

INSTALLMENT #2

So I have been using mikes old tool box for several weeks now and the process of what goes where is ongoing as “stuff” has been moved around a lot in the box. I also have already packed up a lot of assets that I will use in the box. Right now I have several pieces of old glass in use in the box and hope to add more after the move into the new studio. I am using this Paraphernalia project to keep me sharp and focused on my style that will grow and morph until it is complete. Right now I am planning for this project, paint inside and out, renovate all hardware and drawer slides, lights (got to see your “stuff”). Again I work in flows and my vision is mostly complete at this time (subject to change with no notice). Peace

flower (WEED) smoking

Ok Kids, for you all who use concentrates, edibles, vapes or the such, smoking flower is serious business. Smoking weed starts real simple, smoke the joint, puff the bowl, tear off a nug jam it in the bowl and apply fire, enjoy. This process turns into a monster, grind the weed, store the weed, and use the weed, all of these steps all require paraphernalia. The storage of this paraphernalia has always been a challenge to me personally regularly moving from storage place to another. I now have my ultimate paraphernalia storage unit in the Mattize process, check the pics out at works in progress. Peace

Mikes Tool Box

installment #1

Well I have acquired my late father-in-law’s mid 70’s upper and lower Snap on Tool box. The box measures 27 inches wide, the top box is 12 inches deep with a top tray and six drawers, the bottom is 18 inches deep with three drawers and a garage door bottom compartment.

My plans for this magnificent piece of industrial workmanship is to repurpose the tool box into a weed paraphernalia center. I will attempt to chronical my thoughts and the actual processes used to “Mattize” this tool box as only I can and truly make it mine. Peace

Thoughts on MY creative space

I have always set my studio up to facilitate my production of art. I create art works in series, rather fast, very prolific. I like to use the same colors for specific types of tools and spatter paint is now my standard for a ton of things. I love a lot of colors, color is my life now, the next studio will see a bunch of infrastructure “stuff” getting the Matt treatment as I like to call it. I love to Paint things, I love to make things “mine”, I don’t need any owner name tags on stuff, It’s obvious who this stuff belongs to. Peace

repurposing our stuff

So kids, I have acquired over the last couple of years several free standing wood cabinets/bookcases, a ton (6) of Ikea drawer units, several rolling storage carts, four metal tool boxes, a couple of metal tool boxes, you get the idea. So I’m totally for changing the use of any or all of these items and how or what I store in them. I like having optimal availability to my tools and supplies. My art creating is fast paced repetitive in the nature of the materials and tools. I have mastered several disciplines over the years thus I have “tools” and '“stuff”. It will all find a home in the new Casa de Cuckoo III.. Deja Vue all over again. Peace

AND IN OTHER NEWS

Well we are in the process of relocating, going to stay in the Phoenix area. I have shut down my studio and packet it up, needless to say I’m not making beautiful things right now. I do have several “projects” I will be sharing with all you wonderful people over the next month or so. We have some experience in this moving thing, it isn’t a horrible experience it once was (I learned some shit along the way). I will start sharing some of my projects, some of my thoughts on life and art, and as always it is old hippy created and old hippy approved . Peace and Love

META SUCKS T*RDS

So kids, I have left the Meta world, been off of FB sense Nov 2024, left a place keeper on IG. Meta owns these platforms, they make the rules, they change the rules all the time. Meta is a tool for the company to make money, they create the algorithms that control their world. This is my website and I can post MY content how I like without jumping thru a bunch of everchanging hoops that supposedly will help generate followers. so I will attempt to post here daily about my art and life and what’s going on in FRAZZERRATT land. Peace and love

mY FIRST YEAR BEING A FULL TIME ARTIST

So kids, my first full year of NOT working for the man was great. You gotta learn this retirement shit, get all your shit straight and continue to live like I have always lived. Creating full time is interesting in itself, being an artist is the best when you tell people what you do. I like the surprise in their eyes when they see “what “ I do. I attract my people in public, maybe cause I wear tie dye every day, I get tons of comments on my apparel and style. I will continue to bring happiness and joy to “my people” with color and hippy style. Peace

PERSONAL GROWTH

Well a new year has arrived, seen a couple of these before. My standard thought process on a new year is seems like yesterday all over again. I choose to make time here on earth run as a stream of conscience behavior 24/7 until I check out of the system. The years don’t mean a whole lot to me now except to track what I have done in the past. I will strive to grow my style, and color choices for this year and see what new and exciting Hippy Shit I can produce for “my People”.

MY PEOPLE

So I sell my “stuff” at flea markets. I sell my stuff to “my People”. If you get what I’m doing, you may be “my people”. If you think my “stuff” is cool, you may be “my People”. If I provide you with lots of choices and that makes picking one hard, you may be “my People”. My “stuff” isn’t for everyone, my stuff is made especially for “my People”.

Wizard sticks II

So, I wanted a trekking/questing/wizard stick, I made one for me that contains a number of my talismans and will contain even more over time, this is a living thing. I produced a run of 8 Wizard “starter sticks” with the intent of the new owners can add their own talismans and write their own story. People got it, my people got it they embraced the concept and purchased their own Wizard stick.

more on materials

So kids, I decided to make indoor pieces, leading me to use indoor materials such as plastic. Now I have never really looked at the plastic “stuff” at the getting places as I had little or no use for most of it. fast forward to now and I absolutely love the materials I have found so far and it is cheep to purchase at the getting places. I get to learn about all this new plastic stuff, mostly its limitations and issues when combined with other materials. I’m currently having a blast creating at full tilt and seeing future iterations of these designs. I have several directions I cant proceed with which is good for me as a creative. Peace

know your materials

So kids, this story begins 4 years ago with me producing a ton of art for outdoor use. I use a lot of glue, my relationship with super glue is long and sticky and is weather resistant. The other two adhesion materials I used at that time were hot glue and E600. Unfortunately both these glues are not water proof. Lessen learned, lots of take apart and reassembly was involved and other adhesion have taken there place that are all weatherproof. This is a good thing because my pieces were created with the thought that they would all be hanging outdoors.

So now I am making indoor pieces utilizing recycled plastic, and guess what, E600 is the only glue I have that will stick to a lot of this plastic. I grabbed my glue tote (yeah I have a lot of glue) and pulled 8 tubes of E600 out to use on my creations again.

It is a 70’s thing

So yeah I was in High School in the early 70’s, I make “stuff” predominantly for me, I wanted one so I made it. Now if other people think it’s great and all, I really like that and will produce more of the variant. While in High School, I had art class both my 3rd and 4th year of school, and 12 hours of ceramics at MWSC, now jump 50 years and here we are. My “stuff” works in progressions if I made art it will be original I need to move forward and growth and change is all part of the story.

New Series, old thought process updated to 2024

So Kids, I have been working on this new indoor series. Very liberating gathering “stuff” for this work, I can now use all sorts of interesting plastic pieces. This is a new experience for me as in the past I was concerned about the piece surviving in the great Arizona sun. I realized my designs are based on tribal geometric line tattoo produced in 3D. This realization took 4 years to crystalize as I knew my style had roots on art deco, mid century modern, brutalist, and geometric art. I wasn’t quite sure where my pieces originated at the time of creation but I knew I was doing “original” work. check out the pics over at works in progress. Peace