Courageous Creatives: Mati Rose McDonough

Firstly, let me apologize for the absence of posts - I've been sick.  When I'm sick I lie on the couch and try everything to bribe my cat to come lay with me; I ache, I complain, I dose, I think the world is going to end (much to the Fox's chagrin).  I also don't really do any work which, I think is the most frustrating part of being sick.

However, I'm Back! Well, sort of - back enough to do blog posts and go to work (in 10 mins).

[editing note: this did not take me 10 mins to do, instead it took me about 3 days. Writing about other people's work intimidates me apparently but I'm just gonna blame the sickness.]

I wanted to do another Courageous Creatives post - not because I haven't done any work (I have enough work & topics from the last two weeks to keep me going) but because I haven't done one in a while (and really, I've only done one other) and I think it's really important to celebrate creative work, share the stories of others, and do my part to help expose new people to new work.  I'm a true believer in community, and isn't that how community works?  Not just helping yourself out, but helping others.  And really, would I want people to do the same if they like my work?
Enough interluding (did I use that work right? I'm still sick, so I'm not checking).

Mati Rose McDonough is an illustrator and artist who I happened to come across years ago on a now closed online consignment shop Plain Mabel (still so sad it's gone).  I was perusing all the different artists and came across this:

sergio tiger kitten, 2008, 4x4, acrylic

It's one of her paintings and I immediately orderd a print.  I think it's actually the first print I've ever bought that wasn't touristy or kitschy.  It was the beginning of my very small art collection.

I saw this piece and it instantly reminded me of one of my sisters.  It's like it's a weird portrait that gets right to her soul (the shifty-eyed, tube sock wearing, mustachioed lion part of her soul).  And after polling family and friends, they all agreed.  It's not just me being crazy.

(Incidently, years after sharing this with my sister I got some photos in my inbox of HER recreating this drawing - it was amazing.  The only thing missing was a lion suit).

This quote from Ms. McDonough's website pretty much sums it up:
"Mati Rose McDonough is an adult who paints like a child. It has taken her 32 years, 2 schools, and approximately 486 paintings to get to this point."

I'm not going to say too much about her work, cause I want you to go check it out, but I will say that as a deep respecter of whimsy I love her sense of whimsy in her illustrations.  To me, it feels like she just lets her brain go while, and there's a sense of honesty in her work.  I'm no art critic, but I think that's why they appeal to me. 

Also I would like to add: 32 years, 2 schools, and 486 paintings?!?! Yep - art ain't easy.

So I say bravo to Ms McDonough!  She has a style all her own, and one that just frickin' love! (For the sake of clarification - I love the colours, I love the subjects, I love the oddly expressive eyes especially, and I love the juxtapositions of the real and the surreal.  As I said, I'm no art critic, I just know what I love).
 See more work on her website.
 Check out her etsy shop & buy her stuff.

Get one of her prints, and I promise you it will class up the joint.  Whimsy it up too.

flicker bird, 2009, 6x6, acrylic

More images of her work after the jump (just cause I like the suspense)!

speaking 1,000 languages, 2009, 10x10, acrylic

childhood, 2007, 24x24, acrylic & collage

red elephant, 2008, 10x10, acrylic and collage



i will follow you, 2008, 10x10, acrylic



elephant stampede, 2007, 24x20, acrylic, collage & silkscreen