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Different strokes
Painter Eric Matelski takes side stage, plays with the colors of music
By Megan Carneal
mcarneal@mscd.edu

Photo by Jason Small • jsmall4@mscd.edu Live painter Eric Matelski and his brush perform at a Zebra Junction concert Feb. 17 at the Walnut Room.

Inspiration is a fickle mistress. She seduces artists with all-night sessions in which ideas flow freely and passion is tangible, and then she runs out, at any time, without so much as a note to say when she will return.

Eric Matelski has decided to leave that capricious woman behind for a new muse that he knows he can rely on for the night – or at least a 45-minute set. Matelski is a live painter, which means his studio is a venue, his subjects live bands performing within a few feet of him and his inspiration comes in the form of riffs and harmonies.

His medium is acrylic paint, and his artwork is mostly depictions of the band playing while he paints. He uses broad brushstrokes and sometimes throws his fingers into the mix instead of a brush. The end results are bright and vivid portraits with the same kind of movement and flow as the music that inspires him. Aside from concerts, his artwork can be seen on First Friday at Neo Studios, 904 W. 9th Ave.

As is to be expected, Matelski was influenced, at first, by a Johnny Carson show featuring the original live rock and roll painter, Denny Dent. Later, in the early ’90s, he saw the artist Scramble Cambell paint at Red Rocks Amphitheater, and five years ago he had his first opportunity to try it for himself.

The former local band Music Juice had seen some of his artwork and asked if he would be willing to display his art at one of their concerts. Instead of just displaying his art, Matelski decided it was time for a different route.

“Well, mind if I paint it live?” he asked the band. “It just went from there,” he said. That first show happened to be on Halloween, and to make things even better he dressed up as Bob Ross for the night.

Many painters might feel intimidated painting in front of a live band, a live audience and to the time constraints of the band’s set, but Matelski finds the challenge helpful to his artistry.

“It’s just kind of forcing myself to have to finish something and not overanalyze it,” he said.

The crowd interaction doesn’t bother him either.

“I really actually enjoy talking with people while I’m painting,” he said.

Matelksi enjoys many different types of music, but after a yearlong house gig performing at Dazzle nightclub, he has developed an affinity for painting to jazz.

“The tempos lend themselves more for being more smooth,” Matelski said. “I do like to feel the music as I go.”

Right now, his biggest influences when working without the aid of a live band are Mike Patton and TV on the Radio. However, there is no secret musical recipe for inspiration. According to Matelski, “It’s called plugging in the iPod and setting it on shuffle.”