Matt Held turned an artists block into a Facebook sensation.
by Mike Kravinsky
Even with all the ways to get noticed worldwide today, it's still a difficult process. Whether it's a product, service, a creative venture, how do you break though the noise of all the others trying to get attention as well?
Matt Held is a fine artist living in New York. Last November, he needed a subject to paint, to help him over a creative block. So, on a whim, he tried something that almost instantly became a Facebook sensation; and along with it, the fame that has come with it.
Held grew up in Denver where he developed his interest in fine art. He attended Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design but dropped out to spend time with his mother in Seattle after she was diagnosed with cancer. It was during that time that he met his wife Joelle. Matt and Joelle had a son, bought a house and enjoyed the Seattle lifestyle. But eventually, Matt felt he was at a crossroads in his professional life: to stay in Seattle which was great, or try and make it as a fine artist in New York. So three years ago, they took a chance packed up and headed east.
When they first arrived in New York, the family of three got an apartment in Brooklyn. Matt got a job at Christie's as a Post War handler. But when their daughter was born, Matt and Joelle realized that they couldn't afford daycare; so Matt, who made about a third of what his wife was making, decided he would stay at home with the kids, and paint on the side as his one professional pursuit. 
At first, Held found the concept of devoting more time to his art daunting, "everything was so new to me again, I couldn't even get skin tones right, I'd been painting for 20 years but everything was amplified." So around Thanksgiving 2008, just as an exercise, he downloaded one of his wife's profile pictures on Facebook to paint, and it dawned on him "why don't I get the OK from people to get me to paint their Facebook profile pics?" His wife wasn't so sure.
"Sounds kinda dull" was her initial response to his idea. But he liked what Facebook had to offer - a great place to find subject material. He decided to set a goal of 200 paintings of profile pictures from Facebook in two years. After he started and his wife saw the paintings she agreed, "this could be kinda cool."
Due to the popularity of Facebook, the recognition was almost instant. "I've been written up by numerous art bloggers, NY Magazine, Ny Observer. It's absolutely amazing. It's even taken off in Europe. I've done interviews in German magazines. The notoriety is a little strange to be honest with you."
The overnight fame came after years of obscurity. "Up until November I couldn't give my paintings away, I could stand out on the street, and people were like I guess I could use this (canvas) stretcher bar as firewood." Up until then, his biggest show was in a tattoo parlor in Portland Oregon, and 7 people came. Even with all the rejection until November, he has always been very passionate about his art.
In a time when most people use software to create their art, Matt sticks with oils. He's doing the Facebook portraits on a canvas size of 24 x 30. He notes, "the only time I use a computer is to find the picture." He's able to do 2 paintings a week, baring any family emergencies.
To be considered for inclusion in Held's project, Facebook members have to sign up to be "friends" with Matt. Once accepted, there are no guarantees a portrait will be done, but now the member is in the running. When a subject is chosen, the final product they receive is a jpeg, Held keeps the original painting, but that hasn't stopped the close to 3500 and growing Facebook members who have signed up in the hopes of having their painting done by Held.
These days, all his Facebook friends are lobbying him to do their portraits "that part has been driving me crazy", he laughs, "I have people writing on my Facebook Wall, Paint Me! Paint Me! Stop doing him Paint Me! At first, I thought wow this is kinda cool, but it really takes away time in the studio having to read (all that). But yeah, everyone is trying to do different things to make me recognize them. Sometimes it works, 
sometimes it doesn't"
Even with all the notoriety, Held admits that they haven't figured out how to make money at this, "it's great having your work recognized, but I would love to help support my family. I've gotten a couple of commissions out of this, but it all goes back into buying canvases and supplies."
Held's routine is the same every day. "Every single day for the past 4 years I've getting up at 4-am to paint in... my 6-ft by 8-ft studio. Ok, maybe a couple of days where I went out drinking and I had to sleep in; but 97% of the time, I'm painting. It's the only time I can get in there when the kids are asleep."
Although Matt is doing something that many would consider pop art, he doesn't want to be known as a populist. He's been trained as a fine artist, and that's where his interest lies. But Held truly believes the internet is the way to go for promotion, "If you have the product ...the artist needs to be on the internet. You have artists and bloggers, it's invaluable."
Matt will finish the project in November 2010. He hasn't been contacted by Facebook, but thinks it would be a good idea for the company to somehow be a part of future shows.
And, now as my final shameless plug as one of his Facebook friends, I hope that I'm part of that show. Paint Me! Paint Me!
Photo of Matt Held courtesty An Xiao, 2009
Matt's Websites:
