Meet Matt Speck: Artist & Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Speck and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, why did you pursue a creative career?
As a kid I went through a lot of tough times and situations, and I think everybody does, but I used art as my escape. I’m a big component of mental health and expressing yourself and being true to yourself. I believe each person needs that escape from reality, for me it was sports and art. When I wasn’t playing sports I was drawing, painting, or doing anything creative. I think pursuing an artistic and creative career gives me access to avenues that I wouldn’t find elsewhere and allows me opportunities to create happiness and positivity for other people through my work. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I believe my art shows passion, shows creativeness and a different style to capture what I and even what others envision. I believe I got to where I am by continuing to challenge myself and my self-perceived limits. It’s never easy, I come from a small town, you get a lot of negativity, a lot of comments to put you down, and I learned that you have to believe in yourself before anyone else can believe in you. I learned to keep my circle small despite how many people I know. While I’m excited by the growth that I have seen recently with the projects I have done and the people I’ve worked with, I truly believe I haven’t even scratched the surface. I’m driven, I want more challenges, and I want to continue growing. That’s what I want people to know, that growth can be uncomfortable, but it is important and necessary.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I currently live in Pittsburgh, and what I have always admired about Pittsburgh is that it’s a city, but it’s more of a community. I believe there is still a lot of work to be done, but there is truly a lot of great places and things to see and do here. Whether its the Overlook, the incline, The Point, Southside, the strip district, downtown or the parks all over the city. Plenty of restaurants in the area, one of my favorites is City Works. In Miami, I love Wynwood, South Beach, and Little Havana, the overall vibe and artwork and landscapes is just something that feels right. I make it a point to stop by Wynwood every time I’m there, enjoy some breakfast, and explore the new murals and art to gain inspiration.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My entire family means the world to me, but more specifically my mother. She raised my brother’s and I, she made sure we had what we needed before herself. She taught me to be kind to others and to help people without expecting anything in return or feeling like you have to broadcast it. She battled breast cancer, and still never missed a single sporting event for any of my brothers and I. I would not be the man I am today and the man I hope to be if it wasn’t for her guidance. She is superwoman.

Instagram: the_mattspeck24
Twitter: the_speck24
Facebook: Facebook.com/mattspeckart

Image Credits
Hunter Downs, Matt Bearrow