Q: What are some of your favorite things about living and working in the Golden State?

A: Originally from Texas, I now live in Northern California. Our horses graze below my deck while I drink my morning coffee.  I'm not sure how I ended up with horses, but a few of them have ended up in my paintings. 

Q: Do you keep a sketchbook? What is the balance between the art you create on paper versus in the computer?

A: I work from the thumbnail sketches in my sketch book. The only thing I use my computer for is to make adjustments in Photoshop.  At that point the artwork is done, and it's just a matter of fine-tuning the file.   

Q: What do you like best about your workspace? Do you think it needs improvement, if so, what would you change?

A: More visitors.  It's get a little lonely at times.  Normally, the only input I get is from my four-legged friends. 

Q: How do you organize an assignment before you start drawing? Do you make lists and thumbnails

A: I try to come up with ideas based on the content of the article/manuscript before the art director makes suggestions.  That way, I have something to counter with if he/she begins to dictate the direction of the artwork (is that too ego-driven?).  It doesn't always work, but I feel better if I at least tried to inject my own take on things.  I much prefer illustrating my own ideas to those of the art director, unless, of course, their ideas are better!  

Q: How do you know when the art is finished?

A: I'm a firm believer of less is more. Less is also less work, so if a simple image can as effectively convey the same idea, why not go with that?  

Q: What was the strangest or most unusual assignment you’ve taken? 

A: A Murakami book cover for Penguin UK Vintage Books. They wanted me to do it in 3D, which I had no idea how to pull off.  Unfortunately, I broke my thumb and arm and wasn't able to complete the assignment. It could have been a total disaster....

Q: What was your favorite book as a child?

A: A Separate Peace, by John Knowles.

Q: What is the best book you’ve recently read?

A: This Is How You Lose Her, by Junot Diaz.

A: If you had to choose one medium to work in for an entire year, eliminating all others, what medium would you choose?

A: Sculpture.  It would be nice to break out of my hyper-detailed, two-dimensional prison.   

Q: If you could time travel to any era, any place, where would you go? 

A: When did they invent toothpaste? And when did it make it to Barcelona?

Q: What are some of your favorite places/books/blogs/websites for inspiration?

A: Google.  Sometimes Pinterest. 

Q: What was the painting or drawing or film that most affected your approach to art? [the Thunderbolt]

A: Robert Indermaur...a piece entitled At the Border 4.

Q: What advice would you give a young artist about applying to an art school or college?

A: Do it.  If I had only gone to art school and not listened to the voices that said "not practical; can't make money; pretentious, selfish pursuit."  Who knows, I can't go back- perhaps the stars only aligned the way they have because I didn't go to art school. 

Q: What would be your last supper?

A: A table full of uni.  Or monkfish liver. But probably uni. 

Matt Duffin was born in 1968 and grew up in Houston, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Houston. He never practiced as an architect, choosing instead to become an artist. Through art, he found that he could easily combine his tendency toward right angles and perspective drawing with the more human themes of solitude and irony. Over time, his medium has evolved from charcoal to encaustic wax, but he continues to dwell in the realm of dark recesses and stark contrasts.  Blog. Teknion Higher Learning.