MATTAHAN

Dominic Carter talks to the EarthNight artist about making art for video games and how he keeps his creativity sharp

-  Dominic Carter

"It can be helpful to emulate an artist you like, but don't be so dogmatic about it that you never develop your own style (also, credit them)"

Depicting everything from fantastical scenes, afro-futurism and down-to-Earth moments, the art of Paul Davey - also known as Mattahan - has won him a legion of fans and attention from a variety of industries. We caught up with him to hear how he makes work so good it stops social media scrollers in their tracks.

Tell us a little about your background as an artist. How did you get started, and what has your career been like so far?

It's a story you've definitely heard before; I've been drawing for as long as I can remember so it becoming my profession was inevitable. I made a tiny name for myself releasing free icons and wallpapers in the early 2000s. Job offers of various sizes have been appearing in my inbox ever since. My career has been all right. I've been able to live off it without ever having to get a day job. But there's definitely room for it to grow.

Which artists have inspired you most and why?

I consciously avoid being inspired by other artists because I like to tell myself that my work is 100 per cent original with zero outside influence. That said, there are some artists I like.

These include Akwaeke Emezi, who radiates brilliance all the time. It really aggravates my imposter syndrome. Yagazie Emezi is incredibly brave and cool, and then there's Lois van Baarle; I'm jealous of her success, but she deserves it. I've also adored James Jean's style since his work on Fable and it's been amazing watching it evolve.