Episode 12: Matt Shane and Jim Holyoak

Matt Shane and Jim Holyoak met over 15 years ago in Victoria, BC. Jim draws grayscale worlds inhabited by all sorts of creatures and monsters. Matt paints colourful urban landscapes and ghost towns. Together they make large, immersive installations of drawing on paper. They've completed residencies and shown work across Canada, Europe and the United States. Though Matt and Jim both teach and have successful solo careers, they've also consistently found time to work on projects together. This long term collaboration, as best friends and artists, is a unique feature of their practice. 

In this episode, Matt and Jim discuss the what it feels like to be inside their own drawings over long periods of time; the emotional lulls they experience after big exhibitions; the refreshing back and forth pattern that has developed between their solo and collaborative practices; the difficult aspects of working together; Jim's nocturnal versus Matt's diurnal work habits; and the professional artist's paradox of success and lack of security.

This episode was hosted and produced by Yaniya Lee.

Tumblr design and podcast logo by Naomi Cook.

"Gassenhauer" by Carl Orff & Gunhild Keetman.

"Your Wings, Spread Em" performed live by Angels in America in 2011. 

Find out more about Jim and Matt on their websites

 monstersforreal.com and  mattshaneart.com

Write to arttalksmtl@gmail.com 

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