Today we’d like to introduce you to Clay Mata.
Hi Clay, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I started to draw at about 6 -7 years old. My parents would walk horses at Churchill Downs and I would sit in an office and just draw on those brown napkins. I did my first “good” drawing of a UofL cardinal, my parents and their co-worker were so impressed and wowed by it. So I always kept drawing since, but the painting I didn’t start until I was 21 I was going through a sad moment, I use to work with a friend at the time and he saw me drawing on a napkin and complimented how good I was and asked if I wanted to paint with him, he was getting into painting at the time. So that night as he was painting I was drinking and talking his ear off lol, I had one too many drinks and he told me to start painting so I can forget what had been happening, and I began to paint. I don’t remember what happened afterward, but I did wake up and my mom asked where I had bought those beautiful paintings. I was so lost for a moment and laughed and said OH that.
After that, I realized maybe I need to back off the drinks and do more painting and learn. Friends and family loved them and started to buy them, at the time I didn’t know much about art, or how to actually paint for real, it was all trial and error, and I am self-taught. I remember some paintings will take me hours, days vs now maybe 45min to a few hours. I didn’t even know where to get supplies so my friend took me to a hobby store and showed me. I didn’t even know how to price my art when people ask to buy or paint them something, I remember selling a 16×20 at $15. But it wasn’t even about that, it was seeing after many years of figuring out what I wanted to be, I had never even been to an art gallery at that time, and even though I KNEW I wanted to be an artist I didn’t see myself do what I do now. To see my art displayed in someone’s home, or be someone’s gift, to see it in an exhibit at a museum, or even on the news. Or even being interviewed to share my story and art.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, I didn’t think I will have downs. I always thought it was just about enjoying and painting. But I did run into a couple of issues and turndowns, people not paying after pouring my heart out for something they ask for, issues with other artists that I respected, and people commenting negative stuff about my work.
I have been denied a couple of times about displaying my work or not a response at all. But I took everything as a learning experience and kept my head up
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I paint on anything from canvas, to shoes, shirts, denim jackets, and hats to big projects like Murals. My work is a mix of everything, usually, everything I do is mixed media with spray paint and acrylics, and sometimes I add flowers or papel picado which has been done to my recent Day of the dead collection. People know my work for being bright, and colorful, the texture and when I do characters I do not add faces but you can tell who it is
I have been proud of everything I do, I am proud to have worked in the exhibit along with other amazing artists, and I am super proud when I get to speak with the younger crowd and answer questions, seeing my mural but I feel one of my proudest moment right now was when I got invited to Churchill Downs (this is where the Kentucky Derby takes place) for a “Downs After Dark” event and was invited to be a live artist. It was an emotional moment for me and my family. My parents are no longer together or work there, but that’s where I spend my childhood at the tracks, so to go back to where it started. It was one of my proudest and most emotional moments.
Also, when I saw myself on our new tv screen my wife Paulina and I worked hard so hard together to get into our new home. Sitting in our kitchen drinking coffee and seeing myself being interviewed on the local news for Hispanic Heritage Month, for being a local artist and knowing it was for years of pouring my heart on a canvas or mural, and seeing where I am at now, 2 art piece along with other amazingly talented artists in a traveling exhibit, I was not believing it. It was definitely a proud moment. Receiving texts and calls with messages from the people that have been in my life, my friends saying how proud they were and crying with me about a proud time of my life.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
always be social and nice, it comes a long way. I was always shy and my friends broke me out of that shell. But it does come a long way, you can show your work and maybe that person may not like it but may know someone interested in what you do and show them.
That’s what works for me. Talking to other artists, cheering them on, and sharing their work and I never saw anyone as a competition. Art is life, and everywhere and love to see everyone’s work. Social media and sharing what I do and how I do it helps too. Also, the biggest piece of advice is don’t be scared to step out of your comfort zone.
Pricing:
- Stickers $3
- Prints $6-25
- Canvas the small sizes start at $45 (varies with size and design)
- Handpainted shoes or jacket (painting only) starts at $65
- Everything else is discussed on size, surface, design
Contact Info:
- Website: www.playwithclayarte.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playwithclay/
Image Credits
Paulina Sanchez
