Maine Art and Culture: A Conversation with Artist Matt Chamberlain of Portland

And today I have with me artists, Matt Chamberlain, who happens to be a fellow Mainer. Really great to have you in the studio with me today. Thank you so much for having me. It's a pleasure That you have only very recently started working with the Portland art gallery, but you've been an artist for a long time. I have, Yeah, basically my entire life. Uh, it's uh, taken twists and turns, but I've always made stuff. So, So tell me about some of the earliest stuff that you remember making you grew up in south Portland. Um, I, I was, you know, I always drew, I always, you know, it was like, I did a lot of comics and stuff when I was a kid. Um, I mean, I also was obsessive. I, I colored the walls of my basement with black crayon because I wanted it to look like, um, the bat, cause I was obsessed with Batman when I was younger. Um, and how did your parents feel about that? That was, uh, you know, they, they were a little taken back by it, but they they've always been very supportive, so they let me there that would keep it, but it was one of those things I did in secrecy and then they came downstairs and I was just completely covered in black crayon, but alright, well, I Love to hear that they were so supportive. I mean my brothers and sisters colored on the walls and I don't think my parents felt quite as supportive of their art careers in their early years. Yeah. It was pretty, I'm pretty lucky for sure. They've always, they've always supported everything I've done, which is you can't say that about everyone I'm for sure. It's true. So you started with the, with the coloring on the walls and the drawing of the comics and Batman. And, and did you continue to do this work when you were in high School? No. I mean, I did, Um, I took art all four years. It took AP art and, uh, basically it was, you know, the typical, you know, you do your assignments and that sort of thing. But, um, you know, I was always just, it was just an obsessive thing for me. I couldn't stop. So, um, it was one of those things where I knew that that was my future, but I didn't know how to get there. And, uh, so I think, you know, after high school, I just decided I was just gonna work in restaurants because it was an actual job. Um, but realized quickly, it was like, it's, it's still a creative endeavor. And so everything I've ever done is either with my hands or, you know, I'm a creative, some sort of creative form. So when you say You realize this is what you wanted to do, but you didn't know how to get there. You mean, you didn't know how to have somebody pay you for doing something that you really enjoy doing. Yeah. It didn't seem like a viable job and it didn't, there was no back down, there's no social media. There wasn't even an internet when I graduated high school, which is crazy to think about. But, um, so yeah, it was sort of like, how does this even happen? Um, but I took four or five years off after high school worked in restaurants and then, um, decided to go to Mecca, just give it a shot and see what happens. So I did it, it was, it was, I was a painting major. Um, even after graduation though, I was like, I don't see this as something I can do full time, you know, and actually have a life. So I continued to work in restaurants, but I did that for 22 years up until about five years ago and I haven't looked back. So You also took a little detour to New York and Israel a few times. I did. Yeah, I was, um, I moved to New York after Mecca. I was like every, every artist does is, you know, thinking that they're going to, and I wound up not working at all in art. I did some teaching down there. I was working at a place called Kingsville, which is, uh, like a country club for kids basically. Um, I had Seinfeld's kid, I had, um, you know, Andre Agassi's kid, um, and just tie, you know, young kids, little, you know, basic art fundamentals, but it was, and I taught cooking there too, which was interesting teaching three year olds, how to marinate chicken is not something that I would recommend, but I did it. So Did they see the value in it as three-year-old? No, not at all. It was just something, it was just like a fun, tactile thing for them to do. I think there was, no, I don't think there are any lessons learned there, but it was fun. So you had, you had kid Vil, um, and then you, you were with somebody who was from Israel. Yes. Um, and we went a couple of times, um, which was great. It was, uh, I went for about a month at a time each time and it was very eye opening experience. I mean the whole, that whole period of my life too. I, I was living in Harlem, which was very different from, you know, I grew up in Maine and spent the first 27 years of my life there. And moving to Harlem is, was like a completely different world for sure. Um, and very valuable, I mean, honestly, like just being able to get out of my comfort zone and learn about other people. I was just it's great. Well, I think I can envision a why Harlem might be different, but what was your experience as far as the differences? Um, just pace of life. Uh, you know, I was used to walking out my door here in the west end and, you know, it's, it's very quiet and sort of, you know, it's just, you walk down the street and you see people, you know, like, but I was on 120 fifth street and Broadway and it was, there was a train above ground and, um, it was just a culture shock to, um, you know, being surrounded by cultures that I really never got to experience here. So it was, it was wonderful. And what about the cooking piece? You, you worked for time at fourth street? I did, yeah, that was my first real restaurant job. I think I was 20. Um, I had, I had a friend who was working there and they were looking for a prep cook and I was like, okay, let me give it a shot. And I did it for two years. Um, it was basically like culinary bootcamp. Like I learned everything there. Um, and it really formed my opinion about food and just how things are done. Um, it was hard and it was very hard it's, I mean, restaurant work is probably some of the hardest work out there that at you don't get paid for it either. So there's that, but, um, the amount of things I learned are invaluable, I think, and working with Sam Hayward and Esau Crosby, and a couple of other people that it was just like, this is you can't trade that in for anything. So, Yeah. Well, that's true. And, and you were working at forest street and with Sam, it sounds like kind of early, earlier on. Yeah, it was before Portland was Portland really? Um, it was, it that I think forest street was really at the cusp of, uh, you know, and started all of this food movement and Portland, um, and you know, nothing like it existed, I don't think, um, especially in Maine and I think even around the country, it wasn't really a thing. Um, you know, you're basically eating the season, you know, it's, uh, everything comes in every day, you know, different purveyors, different. It just, it was a mind-blowing experience to, to see this is what food actually is, and this is how it should be done. My daughter also is in food currently. And interestingly enough, she also, um, has an art background. And I, it's interesting to think about the, the creative aspects of cooking for some of us who just up, there's a recipe I'm going to do my recipe. I'm going to, you know, it's a kind of a utilitarian thing, but for people at higher levels of, um, there is this bringing ingredients together, it's how you present it. It's creating a whole experience for the person that's eating. Yeah. I mean, I think I treat the way I work in both fields pretty much the same. I have, I have my MES on Plaza, even when I paint, you know, it's sort of like, just get everything ready and then go, and then, you know, it, you just, it kind of takes you where you want it to go. That's the way I cook too. I don't really follow recipes. I just sort of do everything intuitively and I think same way with painting. It's, uh, it's the it's intuitive, it's reactionary. It's, uh, it's all about the process. And then, like, I think the only difference between food and art is the end result. It's like, you can't eat what you're painting, but, um, it's, it's the same for me, Although it's interesting to have seen with social media that a lot of people are understanding food as being art and capturing it For sure. Yeah. I don't think I was, uh, I think that's pretty new, um, you know, within the past 20 years or so. Um, I don't think it was always considered that I think it was more of a utilitarian sort of like need or necessary thing where now I think it's people are actually appreciating and opening their eyes to, oh, this is, and I, I think it, you know, makes a bridge to other cultures. You can, I mean, I think understanding people through food is really a, an important and one of the easier ways to understand people. So when you've traveled to other places, have you spent time trying to understand people's pallets, um, the food choices that they're making for sure. Yeah. I mean, it it's, um, I'm going to Europe, uh, at the end of the month and I'm going to Madrid and Rome and Paris, and I think I'm just going to eat my way through and I'm just so excited. It's the perfect time to it's the end of the harvest and end of the summer. So it's like, I can't wait for what that's going to bring, but yeah, I think, um, you know, when I was in Israel, I was like, my eyes were completely open to like just this totally different, um, way of cooking and like just idea of how, what food is for you. And, um, it, yeah, it really just informed a lot of how I went forward and things that I didn't in food. Tell me about that. Uh, just, you know, Uh, basically, I mean, after working at forest street, I, you know, I understood ingredients are really important. Um, but you know, it, wasn't, they're still not that accessible around here in terms of, you know, especially monetarily is it's, it's expensive to buy good food, but, um, over there they treat food in a different way in terms of it's, it's, it's all about love, really it's about family and it's. Um, and that to me is really important. So As you were talking, I was thinking about, um, a trip that my family and I took to Madrid while my son was in college, over there for a little bit. And I remember that there would be these enormous, um, I guess, legs of pigs, because they were very much into eating bigs. Um, but that wasn't the most, I mean, that was striking because obviously if you have a pig leg just kind of sitting there while everybody's, you know, chatting and having tacos and whatever, uh, that felt a little just different than what we do. But, um, more interesting was just the amount of time that people would spend around the table that people would gather and they would be there forever. And it would not be just the adults going out in the evenings. It would be the children and multi-generational, and we don't seem to have quite that thing here. No, I don't think so. I mean, I, I owned a catering company for 10 years and, um, we did a lot of weddings and, and one of the things I always wanted people to do is I sort of pushed them towards family style, um, instead of doing a buffet or, or plated, um, because I felt like it's communal, you're sitting around a table with a bunch of people you may not know, and you've got all these platters in front of you and you have to sort of engage with everyone. So, um, that was definitely informed by my experiences, you know, going over there and like, just feeling like, oh, this is more of a ceremony. This is more of a, you know, it's, it's a celebration. Um, and obviously weddings are, so I felt like it kind of aligned with that. What was it that caused you to make that very specific choice to move into art and away from food? Um, I think it just honestly burnt out. Um, it was 22 years of doing it. Um, and I had owned a company for 10 and we had a shop, um, for three years, um, the original Miyaki building on spring street. Um, and you know, we'd do 20, 30 weddings a year. Um, so the weekends were gone, my life was gone. It was sort of like, okay, I'm not in any debt. I think it's time to move on. I found it to be more work after awhile then than pleasure. It wasn't, you know, as I sort of got into food because I wanted it to be fun and it just wasn't, wasn't fun anymore, but I still love to cook for people. It's just now I just cover people I love and that's, that's sort of how it works for me. So it was a, it was an interesting, it was a tough time for sure. Like it was my baby and I, you know, sort of decided that I needed to, to move on. So, Well also owning your own business. I mean, that is its own, um, set of, I guess, opportunities and challenges. Yeah. Yeah. And I think I went into it a little green and, you know, I was just sort of like when I first started, it was just me, um, for the first six years or so. Um, and I was mostly a private chef, um, and that was great because you're, you're, you're going into people's homes and like it, again, it's more of a celebration and like, um, once it's started to become more of a day-to-day operation and sort of like, uh, I gotta, you know, I've got to remember, or this I've got to do this. I've gotta do that. Taxes, payroll, blah, blah, blah. It was just, it just got to be too much. So I decided that wasn't for me, did You also start to see more success with regard to your art? Did you finally come to a place where you thought, oh, maybe I can make a living out of this. It was a weird thing. So I sort backdoored my way into that. I, I was, as soon as I finished the, the shop, I, I started painting again and it was sort of like a therapy thing for me. Um, but I was like, wow, these are actually pretty good. I, I re I, I remember how to do this. Cause I didn't really get to paint when I was, when I was, I wanted a business, it was just didn't have time. Um, so going back to that was like a revelation for me. And I was like, okay, um, I think I'm gonna try to do this. I had other jobs, you know, just day jobs, but, um, it really turned into something more. And I randomly reached out to my friend, Tyler Karu, who's a designer. And I asked her if she ever needed things for staging, just for photo shoots. And, um, she said, yeah, of course. And every time I put one in a home for a photo shoot, it would get sold by, you know, to the homeowner. So it was like, okay, this actually could work. Um, and it kind of snowballed from there and I was like, I'm just going to do it. And that's, that's kinda how I had to live life. Anyway. I just like, I'm going to do it. It's just, there's no way. Now, if I put my mind towards something, it's like, you can't, you got to get out of the way. So that's sort of how that happened. I know that on, on social media, um, one of our friends, Christa Stokes, she's also a big fan of yours and she's an interior designer with a wonderful visual sense. And I think that working together with interior designers and bringing kind of something beautiful into a really practical setting, I think that's a really nice relationship to have. It is. It's interesting. Cause I didn't think about it. Um, you know, when you're in school, you think it's more about getting into galleries and doing shows and, and that sense of vest the vest, the professional way to do it. And um, you know, you think of interior design, you know, I'm a child I'm product of the nineties where you, you think about selling out and, uh, even though that's not a thing anymore for sure, but it, it, um, it's one of those things where like, oh yeah, well, why wouldn't I do this? Like, I can put my work out there and I want to be in people's homes. I want to, you know, like I think that, um, it's the same thing with visiting, like as a private chef, you know, being there and contributing to their lives, I think is it's a great feeling for me. Tell me about this piece behind us, for people who are listening to the podcast. Um, and hopefully they'll, they'll actually take the time to watch so that they can see what we're referring to, but this was actually a commission that you did for someone. Yeah. Um, it's, it's been a labor of love. It, it, she asked me to do it probably about a year ago. So it's been one of those things where I started it in the middle of the pandemic and, um, I just couldn't figure out where I needed it to go. And, um, eventually, I mean, this is like seven or eight layers of stuff. Um, it eventually came together, but I had to like, let it rest for awhile. It was one of those things where I just like, I gotta think about something else and then come back to it. So, um, I think it's finally, yeah, I'm happy with it. And it was one of those things where it's like, okay, I'm going to let this one go. Um, and she was happy with it, so that's always good. So what types Of things did you use in creating this? Um, There's multiple layers here, but, um, generally underneath, it's always acrylics and, um, you know, a lot of pencils and charcoals and stuff. Um, and then I, over the top of it, I used, uh, spray paint for a lot of it, um, to get these blocks and then I covered it in a two-part epoxy resin, um, to get this like sort of glass feeling to it. Um, as like another layer, just, I I'm, I'm all about layers. It's sort of like, I just need depth and history to things. Um, and so, yeah, it's just, and then on the top, it's just like little, little gestures and marks that, you know, um, that the resin allows you to do different things with paint that you can't do when then when it's directly on canvas or, or panel, um, you can kind of smear it around and like, it makes interesting marks. Um, so that's why I went with that, but yeah, it's a, it's a, it took a while and I'm glad it's done to be honest with you, they'll be happy to hang it. And it almost Has a little bit of an urban feel to it. It Does, I suppose. Yeah. I never really thought about it that way. Um, I never, it's kind of a different piece for me. It's a lot more geometric than usual. Um, a lot of my stuff has a lot more organic feeling. Um, and I don't know why, you know, I sort of let myself do what I'm doing, sort of blackout when I'm painting. I just kind of lose myself, um, and in the process and just let it happen. And somehow this is what, what came out. Um, it definitely wasn't meant to be urban feeling, but, um, I'm sure of life experiences informed that in some back channel in my mind. Well, you are saying that this is, this was very much a part of your pandemic experience. Not that that has anything to do with being urban necessarily. Yeah. I, you know, it, pandemic was interesting. I was alone for the first five months. Um, and then the building I was living in sold, so I wound up having to move. So I wound up going out to Western mass to my friend's place. They have this really old barn, um, and I've painted there in the past and they were kind enough to just let me stay for basically the whole summer into the fall. And I just painted and hung out and worked in the garden. And that was, that was actually very therapeutic for sure, because being alone, wasn't, wasn't fun either. It was first, couple of weeks was fine and I'm like, oh, I don't have to talk to anybody. This is nice. Um, and I worked a lot and then I sort of just kind of, you know, like everyone just, you just start feeling lonely. So you can just, it was really nice to be able to go out and be with people Who are some of your artistic influences. Um, I love Rauschenberg Robert Rauschenberg, um, Basquiat, Helen Frankenthaler, um, Jackson, like the, I, the I, the romantic idea of him. He's not necessarily visually, it's not necessarily what I like, but it's just the idea as a sort of, I don't know, just, he just kinda did what he wanted to do. And I think that isn't is admirable. It's just, he's like, don't, you know, there's no pigeonholing there. It's just sort of, so I try to, you know, I basically just, I love to work, um, in ways that I don't understand where it's going to go and, and that sort of flux of it's, it's a little intimidating, it's a little scary, but it, it, eventually I trust myself, I trust the process and usually it comes out. Okay. Well, it's interesting because I'm thinking about what you said about cooking, where you there's simultaneously a need for preparation, but also a need for flexibility of mind. And it's, you know, in, I would say painting probably as, um, um, parallel. Yes, for sure. I think cooking is totally informed that and helped me along the way in terms of not getting frustrated and trusting that, okay, you can fix this or, you know, the nice thing about paint too, is you can paint over it. Um, food, if you put too much salt, then you're, you might be you're in trouble, but, um, it, you can still make adjustments in food. And that I think, um, has informed a lot of the way I work. Has it Been a challenge for you to move from a place of being employed by someone else to being self-employed to now being self-employed again, but having a little bit more looseness as to what the final product is It, is it isn't it isn't, I mean, it's, it's, I'm in a really lucky position. Um, I think not many people get to do what they love. Um, but it's also scary and they also have to like set goals and boundaries for myself. Um, that has, that's been a challenge for sure, because, you know, you may not feel like doing something someday, but you have to kind of, because it's the only way out you have to, you there's, you have to do it. So, um, yeah, it's been interesting to like, sort of figure out a new way of, uh, motivation and a new way of working. Um, you know, I've been this past week, I've been up till four in the morning, a lot of nights, and that's, um, it's been interesting for, you know, my day is sort of being in a fog, but, um, when I get going, I can't stop. So it's sort of, um, I just let it happen. So for you, it's, it's just a, really a question of kind of putting yourself in the right place saying, this is, this is where I am, this is where I'm going to start. This is kind of where I want to end up in a bigger sense. Yeah. But then once you're, once you're doing it, you're just engaged. Yeah. I mean, um, that's just the thing I it's, it's literally just about starting, um, you can sit around and think about things all day, but if you don't just start, you're never, it's never going to happen. So, um, you know, being in charge of that and sort of making a discipline for yourself, it's, it's important. It's very, it's, it's unique and it's different than food. Um, in that aspect where it's like, eh, you know, food, you have deadlines more than, than you necessarily do in making art. Um, people tend to give you a little more leeway when you're saying like, I'll get it to you. And I, you know, when it's done, but food, you know, you have to be, get it done when it's, when it's, you know, when the time has come. So How do you, um, how do you reconcile the idea of being an artist and doing what feels right to you versus what someone else might want from you? Um, I generally, I mean, most people give me the leeway to do what I want, which is nice. Um, you know, they'll have, if it's a commission for a specific space, then, you know, I'll go to the, I'll go visit the space and like, sort of get a sense of what would feel right. Um, you know, and some people will say like, Tyler will ask, you know, I need something with some blues or some blood, you know, but other than that, I, I, it's hard. It's I get free reign, which is really nice, but it's also scary too, because I'm like, I don't know if they're gonna like this generally, hopefully people do, but it's, um, it's a gamble, I suppose, but, And as you're moving toward this representation with the Portland art gallery, now you just get to kind of create what you're going to create. Yeah. It's exciting and frightening at the same time. Uh, I think I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself, which is good. I think if I didn't, um, I shouldn't be doing this, you know, it's sort of one of those things and I was, I was listening to your podcast with DEET Lynn and talking about imposter syndrome and that sort of thing. And it's like, that certainly is creeps in, you know, here and there. But, um, I am generally pretty confident, but you know, if I was always confident, I don't think I should be doing it. You know, Why an art gallery and why now I it's. It's interesting because like, it, it wasn't something that I really thought about. I was like, I was doing fine without representation, but, um, that whole side part of media and putting, you know, just there's a lot of work other than just painting, um, to get your stuff out there. And I felt it was the right time to like, just concentrate on the work and have someone else do the other stuff for me, which is, you know, when I w when I had the catering company, I had a business partner who did all of the, like a lot of the payroll and paperwork and stuff like that. Cause like we were talking about earlier, math is not my strong suit. Um, so to have someone with more knowledge than me as well, um, able to represent me and then put me out in the world, I was like that I can't really go wrong with that. Yes. I think you're, you're referring to our conversation before we got on the air about numbers and, um, adding up. And, and I think that for, I also feel this way, you know, there's there some things I know that I do very well, other things that I know that I don't do very well. And so it's always good to have people to partner with you that can kind of help you with those things that, that they know better than you. Yes, for sure. Um, no one can do everything and that's, I've learned that many times, um, cause I'm definitely someone that wants to be able to do everything and, you know, we'll helicopter parent, if, you know, especially employees or whatever, I would, I would definitely be a little, there were times where I just had to let go. And that's one of the hardest things in the world to do. That's interesting because seems like you have pretty high expectations for yourself and high expectations for what you produce and that, um, might kind of bump up against this idea of having being a little bit more freewheeling, flexible mind. I mean, there's a lot, there's a lot going on. There. There is. Um, yeah, we'll see. I can't, you know, um, I think it's going to be great. I it's just, um, it's one of those things. I think we'll take some adjustment time and, um, maybe some stumbling, but I think in the long run, I think it's going to be great. Did you ever Come back to the, to the teaching? Did you ever come back to sharing your knowledge? That Job was honestly like, uh, it was just out of necessity and it just happened to be, I, I knew someone that was already working there and it was like, okay, I'll do this. And it was, you know, it was into fields that I loved, um, sort of, you know, but, um, it was more of a necessity and I, the idea of teaching is interesting, but I don't know. I don't know if I could, to be honest with you. I don't know if I could teach adults. It's sort of like just something I think I judge myself too harshly and it would be difficult to difficult to do Well. I'm, I'm when I've talked to various artists, it is interesting because some artists do love to teach. It's a pretty significant part of the work that they do. Others don't do any teaching at all. And it sounds like you've dabbled in it and just did it. Wasn't a strong pull for you, at least not at that time or right now. Yeah. It Could be down the road. Um, but yeah, it's not something I'm, I'm looking at right now. It's just something I think I need to concentrate on myself at this point and just get to where I need to be. Well, I am, which is selfish, but is where artists sometimes they are that way. Well, it sounds like you've spent a lot of time doing things with and for other people. So maybe it's not so much selfish as just kind of completing a piece of your existence that you haven't had the time to do that with before. Yeah. Well, I'm very pleased to have had the opportunity to talk with you and also very pleased that you're coming in as an art gallery artist, knowing that it's a wonderful community and there's, um, having my, having the opportunity to talk with people in this forum, but also at art gallery openings is really a pleasure, but one-on-one getting to know people is A lot of fun. This was very nice. Thank you so much for having me. I've been speaking with Portland, art gallery artists, Matt Chamberlain, and Maine native. I encourage you to learn more about Matt on the Portland art gallery website and also through social media and, uh, coming up in the art gallery with some of his pieces being on display. Thank you so much for being on radio Maine today, Matt, thank you so much. Take care.