Spotlight on Artist Matt Jeanes

30. Jul, 2010

The professional artist Matt Jeanes has lived and worked in Bath for 25 years, and is a well known illustrator in the character licensing business - many specialist agencies of which are based in the city. We caught up with him to hear about his journey from illustrating My Little Pony and Forever Friends in the early days, to where he is now.

1. Can you describe yourself in three words?

Versatile, Passionate, Complicated.

2. Tell us about your background and how you first got into illustration?

I quite simply love to paint, and I love to create. From an early age I knew that’s what I would always do… and have done.

This love of painting got me through my education and won me exhibitions at school. It gave me my first job as an illustrator, and enabled me to set myself up in my own companies, S.P.J, Apollo & FAB as well as working for Hallmark, Portico and W.F.M . Along with teaching art, I have also designed characters for major companies, managed licencing artwork for Disney and Andrew Brownsword, and finally as an Art Director/Creative Director, I’ve used my skills to develop greeting card products for all the major companies in the U.K.

My professional training was with the Bath agency W.F.M., and my first job saw me illustrating characters such as My Little Pony, Care Bears and Postman Pat. Moving on I started working on Forever Friends which became a massive brand. I carried on with this and along the way worked on Country Companions, The Muppets, Disney, Winnie the Pooh, Classic Pooh, (Then Winnie the Pooh again!) Eeyore, Tigger, Bubblegum etc. I ran the Forever Friends brand as Hallmark’s Senior Artist from 2000-4 before developing brands of my own.

3. How has your illustration changed over the years? What kind of client do you work for at the moment?

I feel my work has matured over the years. To begin with I was required to represent accurately famous characters for Disney, Hasbro & Henson’s, so I was fairly tied to the restrictions of the characters. Now I have become ‘me’, an artist in my own right, doing my own work for clients rather than being a jobbing illustrator.

4. What has been your most memorable experience in your career?

Opening my own illustration agency, designing the look and concept, and then having great artists working with me.

5. And your proudest moment?

Winning a ‘Henrie” award for Best Art Greeting Card range in 2008 which relied on my design skills rather than my painting. I researched and contacted the artist David Downton, then presented and won the opportunity to design a range of cards using his art. This range then went on to be hugely successful for The Great British Card Co.

6. Who or what inspires you?

Without doubt Fashion IS my passion; this is a direction I would have taken had I not focused on my art. Artists like Tissot, René Gruau, Bob Peak, Oleg Cassini and David Downton are great inspirations to me. To capture glamour and taste in paint is just as fabulous as being involved with the clothes.

7. What kind of work environment do you prefer? Where/when are you most productive?

I’m most productive working away from home in a studio with other people and early in the morning. I’m rubbish in the evening. I’m definitely an early bird.

8. What exciting projects are you working on at the moment?

I’m painting a lot of portraits at the moment and trying to develop my own art. I find this exciting and challenging especially in the current climate.

9. When you’re not being creative, what are you doing?

I very rarely stop being ‘creative’, though when I’m not painting I’m involved in the world of non-professional theatre. I have been Production Designer and Director for a theatre company called Backstage Productions for the last 22 years. We’ve won every major award for set, publicity, costume design as well as best director, best production and numerous best actor and actress awards for the company. I have also designed and directed for other companies and theatres, including the Bristol Hippodrome. I have just devised and directed the Summer Season show for the Winter Gardens in Weston Super Mare.

10. Do you have any words of wisdom for other creative people?