Matthias Lupri is an exciting American artist whose work has been widely exhibited across the United States. Inspired by art’s power to facilitate his own self-discovery, he lets a narrative theme naturally unfold onto the canvas, inspired by memory, dreams, and reflections. His resulting paintings, from abstract landscapes to figurative portraits, are distinctively intriguing.
When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
Thanks for having me here. Being an artist was a calling from very early on when I grew up in the wild woods and foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta Canada. The merging of the amazing scenery and feeling of the rustic landscape, often very icy, with my inner being was such an experience.
I knew that this “resonating feeling” was something very special and that there must be some way to organically express the way it came forth to the forefront. This outer landscape felt like my true inner landscape in a spiritual way.
I spent years as a musician and composer and expressing those inner rising feelings that way artistically before finally becoming a visual artist. I suddenly had trouble getting the rising imagery from my inner abyss into my musical compositions and was in search of some form of a much-needed spiritual energy release.
I was so amazed when I discovered and switched to oil painting how related the arts really are to each other, and how they are all so connected to who we really are as individuals.
Can you talk about your artistic influences and other artists you are most inspired by?
I was really mainly influenced by my unconscious and the rising of these images and energy. And it happens daily and nightly with memories, dreams, reflections. There is this amazing journey cycle we go through as human beings and there is just so much to take from it.
When I started exploring my inner self more and more and expressing it, I started reading up on psychology and philosophy. This then gave me more insight into myself and ways to artistically express myself. I am a self-taught visual artist primarily but have looked at many of the visual painters throughout history for a while. I love the early cave paintings all the way up through to modern digital art. It’s all good when it comes from the right place.
Do you prefer to work alone or collaborate with others?
I definitely prefer to work alone in the visual arts. I enjoy the solitude of expression as it emerges from the inner being. I try to focus on listening to this inner imagery. I don’t like to be distracted when in this “middle zone” and truly riding the wave as it shows itself.
Can you tell us about a project you’re currently working on?
I am presently working on my “Semblance: Time” series that represents the liminal threshold of the inner spatial area of ourselves, where and when the unconscious starts to meet the conscious. It’s a place of trying to find a balance between the two merging hemispheres, and the chaos that also unfolds as it arrives.
The latest piece is called “An Alchemy of Semblance”. I find being an artist is very much like spiritual alchemy.
What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t an artist?
I always wanted to be a pilot too because of the view from the heights in motion, like a dream. I was constantly amazed at watching eagles fly in the Rockies as a child and dreaming of the amazing view they must have from above. In a sense, being an artist is very similar for me. This is because I am looking downward at the space below, yet within me, and enjoying the scenery.
One of my latest pieces is called “Valley of Aquila: Mesa Night Two” which represents the eagle (Latin Aquila) looking down from its flight into a Mesa valley and river. Which in turn spiritually is a vision quest looking within to the land of the eternal and the flow of water and time. If you look at the closeups you can get a sense of the bird’s flight as it soars down into the valley closer and closer.
Have you found any other artists on SINGULART whose work you admire?
I have found many artists I admire. I love to look around the site and see what other artists are doing.
At the same time, I try not to do it too much because as an artist, I want to stay unique to my inner calling and not get influenced by certain external stimuli of other artists.
What advice could you give to young artists starting out?
I would recommend all young artists to really follow their dreams and stay true to themselves. Because otherwise why even bother?
Try not to get caught up with any rules, unless you really choose to. Follow your own unique path, whatever that may be. It is a lot of hard work. But it doesn’t feel like work when it is passionate, and therefore gives your life a truer meaning and purpose.
