Something Different: Face Thyself
Skate Deck Art Collaboration between Matt Beard and “Austin”, an unhoused Humboldt County resident
Well now, it’s been awhile since I shared any new art, hasn’t it? Long story short, I haven’t been painting all that much during this season of my life, while I’ve been focusing more on much needed growth in my inner life. I now that sounds kinda hokey, but it’s where I’m at, and just to assure you all if you were wondering during my absence from this newsletter (and all social medias)… I am well.
And although this isn’t exactly the kind of art you signed up for this newsletter to see, it is a project I had a lot of fun with and I thought it was worth sharing.
Face Thyself
7.5” x 30” Mixed Media Collage on a Skateboard Deck
Collaboration with “Austin”, an unhoused Humboldt County resident
Created for the San Diego Surf Film Festival
Bidding Ends On: February 19, 2024 11:59 pm
I recently met Austin on the streets of Eureka, CA. He was busy cutting intricate patterns into the shadow portions of some black and white portraits from the pages of a book he’d come across while other homeless folk yelled in the air and bickered with the trees all around him.
After talking to him a bit it struck me that his creative drive in the midst of this discordant atmosphere was connected to his troubled past. Creation is the only salve he knows for those wounds, whatever they may be.
It also struck me that I have lived much of my life in the same way.
My entire creative career has been in many ways an effort to find some justification for my existence because at the deepest level I wasn’t sure I was worth my own life. I won’t bore you with childhood wounds, because we all have them, but after an intense season of self-reflection and prayer I have begun to experience true healing at last, and even though I haven’t been all that productive art-wise over the recent months, I wouldn’t trade this journey for the world. I pray we all might find the wholeness we were made for, because as long as we refuse to face ourselves, we remain divided within. Hence the title, and the encouragement: Face Thyself
And one of the great joys of this journey for me has been connections. A deeper connection with my wife, my family, friends, and even strangers on the street like Austin.
I wasn’t sure Austin would be up for the idea of letting me use his work incorporated into a piece of my own. And when he agreed to it, I didn’t know what direction the art would take. So when I ended up connecting one of his shadow-work faces with the biblical creation story by the thread of self-reflection I really wasn’t sure what he would think, so I was pretty nervous the day I drove downtown to share it with him and ask him to sign it. He was psyched! Truly, it was a joy to see his eyes light up at seeing his work shine as the centerpiece of this piece of art.
This wasn’t a typical work of art for me, but it pushed me to consider my artwork from a whole different perspective. I hope you dig it.
I’ll be splitting the proceeds with Austin, who has been on the streets for several years now, and longs for a more stable life with housing and work. I know the money from this little collaboration alone won’t help much in that regard, and he might just use it all on art supplies, but God bless ‘im, that’s okay with me.
Bidding Ends On: February 19, 2024 11:59 pm
Holler with any questions, and know that I am thankful for each of you taking the time to read this.
Cheers!
Matt Beard
Good to hear from the man down unduh in Humboldt County - he lives!!
Love you Matt! Your artwork (whatever modality chosen) and words of wisdom you share are the healing balm needed by all fortunate enough to have crossed paths with you and your shared gifts! Blessings… P.S. love your colab. with Austin. Changing lives every day❣️