Oswego Artist Proves Art is Within Us All

You don't have to be Michelangelo to make beautiful art.

Sometimes we can be intimidated by "Great Art." When we take a trip to the Art Institute, when we listen to music that moves us to joy or tears, when we read a poem that says what we feel so perfectly or when we see a beautiful hand-made item in a shop or a booth, we often think “Oh, I wish I could do that.”

Oswego resident Mike Mathews followed “I wish I could do that” with “Maybe I can.”

It all started when Mathews began attending Renaissance faires when he was a teenager.

“I loved all the cool stuff for sale, especially the leather items, but I couldn't afford them," he said.

Eventually, Mathews decided to see if he could make them himself, and a friend taught him the basics of the craft. That was four years ago, and Matthews has been creating fine leather work ever since.

Although Mathews said he does not expect his leather work to be a full-time job, he doesn't consider it just a hobby.

“The difference is that with a hobby, at least in my eyes, it's always the same thing over and over,” Mathews explains. “Whereas, I feel art should challenge the artist with every new piece.”

Mathews' desire to continually challenge himself has led him to augment his leather work with metals, paints, sculpture, drawing, branding, chain mail and numerous other materials.

“That's a tricky question," Mathews said when asked what fuels his work. "I take my inspiration from life; whatever strikes me as a challenging piece to make.”

Movies, video games, books and music have all provided ideas for pieces. Mathews said he especially enjoys commissions.

“I love to have others ask me if I can make something for them, because they normally ask me for something I have never done or even thought of doing. Sometimes I take an idea from a commissioned piece and expand upon it," he said.

The blossoming local arts scene is also something that has Mathews excited.

"There were few real outlets for artists (a few years ago), but within the past year I have seen different galleries opening, and far more craft fairs & art shows cropping up," he said. "I feel this is only the beginning of a rebirth of the art culture in this area."