Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Schott
Hi Matthew, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in Nashville, then moved to Johnson city to earn my bachelor’s in animation. After college, I moved to Knoxville to be closer to family and friends. Over the past seven years, I have lived in Knoxville and watched this city grow with so many opportunities. Using my knowledge of art and by networking through my work in the service industry, I found Glassadazical in 2019 through a music festival in Michigan and we soon discovered we were both from Knoxville. Since then I have been helping grow the brand until this past year when we were presented with the opportunity to create a collective space for all the glass artists in the Knoxville area.
Visualize Art Studio had been a dream of mine for a long time. Creating a space for artists to come together is necessary and teaching others is the best way to build a long lasting community for the arts in South Knoxville. Our hope is to inspire creativity through the world of glass and any other art forms we can accommodate. Personally, I also continue to grow as an artist and hope to create work that brings joy to others.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are always struggles along the way. It is no secret that it is expensive to start a business today and majority of the interior construction was done by our own talented crew of diy enthusiasts. We learned a lot through through the process and created a truly unique space for artists to come together. We have been both blessed and cursed many times along the way but we have persisted through hard work and an unwavering vision.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Through my personal style I have become known for my self-proclaimed “flow art”. I use both traditional and digital mediums to create colorful works that are meant to evoke a peaceful emotional response from the viewer. People usually will recognize my work through my use of vibrant color to create balanced compositions full of hidden storytelling. Thematically, I usually enjoy turning lemons into lemonade by referencing dark themes in whimsical ways. Mainly I find pride in the amazing community of artists that continues to emerge from the area.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I think Knoxville has a great range of entertainment and the constant traffic through the city provides an excellent opportunity for the growing tourism industry. The traffic is also my least favorite thing haha.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schottintheart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571235665333
