Matt Bonner, Projection Artist, talks to us about his life and creative passion
Even if you haven’t heard of Matt Bonner before, you’ve more than likely seen his artwork. His projections on public spaces have captured the imagination and inspired many at local events over the past decade; Geelong Christmas celebrations, Geelong After Dark, National Reconciliation Week, the ANZAC Centenary commemorations, and White Night Ballarat to name a few. Matt is a man of many talents, and has found a way to combine them all.
“I have a passion for Filmmaking, Music, Photography, Animation and Projection Art. What I love about Projection Art is that this art form covers all of those elements. I love the challenge of Projection Art due to the technical aspect of it and creating a piece of work to fit architectural features, transforming the building into something else that creates an illusion and a visual delight for the audience.”
Originally from Colac, Matt studied Arts Design and Electronic Design Interactive Media at The Gordon and has persevered in the creative arts field throughout his career.
“The creative industry is not the easiest road to make a living at times, and sometimes you can feel lost and undervalued for the time you spend creating the work. I have seen many talented friends over the years struggle and choose a different career path.”
Matt has found solace in his art when faced with life’s challenges, and has used his creativity to find positive moments in dark hours.
“Music has been a big part of my creative life. It’s a really good emotional outlet and it’s great for your well-being. My mother passed away from Cancer seven years ago and at the time I turned to writing original songs with my wife Liz. We found this to be a great comfort at a sad time in our lives.”
“During these times you have seen and heard that the creative industry has been hit hard due to COVID-19 with the cancellation of many public arts events. I personally have felt some of that impact but I am grateful for the work I still have and am also using this opportunity now to work on some of my personal projects that have been sitting on the shelf. It’s been inspiring to see many artists trying new ways of being creative, taking their talents to the online platform and not giving up on their dreams.”
And for all you Creatives out there, especially those hard hit by the pandemic, I hope you gain some inspiration from Matt’s positive outlook:
“The important thing to do now is to keep being creative, be innovative and keep inspiring others. Keep challenging yourself to be creative in lots of different ways so that you don’t lose sight of your dreams and always have a side project for yourself to keep the creative ideas flowing when you have the quiet moments in work.”
For more about Matt Bonner’s Projection Art, follow these links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projectionartist
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amoebart
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/projectionartau
Story: Sarah Treacy. Photo credit Reg Ryan supplied by COGG.
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