One of my goals this year is to feature more art on the FF so I am thrilled to introduce today’s NEXT BIG THING, painter Mati Rose McDonough of San Francisco, CA. We are featuring a mini “show” of three of her super lovely enormous tiny prints. Wanna meet Mati in person… in Tuscany? Read on!

How long have you been painting and how did you get your start?
All my life, but I went back to art school at the California College of the Arts in Illustration + Painting to focus more fully on it!

Describe a typical day in your studio.
Well, there isn’t really a typical day, that’s why I love what I do. I live right in front of my studio that is a large converted garage that I share with 8 other artists called Compound 21. We have a great group of super talented studio mates who all live close by and ride their bikes to work. Part of my work is administrative - marketing, sending my shop orders and applying for shows & grants - and then the rest is sketching and painting. Also I spend time looking for inspiration in books, art blogs and from walking around my neighborhood, the Mission, which is really inspiring and full of color.

Tell us more about these prints featured at FF.
These prints are from paintings that I did for a show called the Enormous Tiny Show. I was looking for material that related to the theme of being enormous yet tiny… and started thinking about painting animals that in real life are enormous and threatening, but painting them tiny and cute with moustaches and tube socks and funny expressions. They were also inspired by a book on folk art that I found in a thrift store in Vermont while on vacation. I loved the way the animals were painted flat and in some cases were paper cut outs that mirrored each other. I decided to play with that and add my own San Francisco inspired colors and painting style.

Animals are featured a lot in your work. Do you have many pets?
I don’t have any pets and just found out I’m allergic to cats and dogs. I had 2 goldfish named Chedder and Candide for almost 5 years which is a serious record, but they are now gone. So sad. I think that may be part of it. If I can’t have a furry pet of my own, why not paint them? I would love a little sweet pug. I love painting animals because they can be so expressive too. Owls can look pissy, elephants endearing and peacocks flirtatious, or whatever your read is. Animals communicate feelings more easily than adults. I meant to say humans! But that’s funny and true too.

We hear you’re doing a painting retreat in Tuscany…
It is going to be amazing! I want everyone to sign up and we can go explore Italy and make art! My painter friend Kelly and I dreamed up this fantasy idea of applying to teach painting in Tuscany through this program that organizes classes, sweet lodging and Italian food called Toscana Americana Workshops. And we were accepted! Big dream come true. Check it out! We are calling it “Taking Flight”, well because you’re literally flying over to Italy, and also we want to encourage people who have never picked up a paintbrush and might even be scared to and those who are already experienced artists to try something new, and have the time and inspiring space to do so. Also Kelly has a book coming out that I’m in, that is about becoming an artist that we’ll be drawing from. I know it will be an incredible time because it will offer a big shift in perspective and time to explore your creativity from one of the most beautiful places in the world. I can’t wait! I’m signed up for an Italian class as well so I’m super excited to practice when I’m there and travel a bit afterwards. It’s so exciting! Yay! Can you come???