Matt Forderer - Artist

Matt Forderer

Age 44

Occupation/Job Title: Graphics for a Greeting Card company/Head of Photoshop dept. ARTIST



I work in San Diego , California and a company called Found Image Press. My company takes very old post cards and images and scans them and cleans them and makes products out of them such as Greeting Cards, Calenders, Magnets, Prints, Journal books, Night Lights. We have an image archive of over 35,000 images. I have been with this company for 8.5 years.

Education: Describe the education, apprenticeships, or any learning experiences
that were necessary to learn the skills for your job, to acquire the credentials or degrees, and to qualify you to do your job.


I graduated from the Art Institute of Colorado in Denver. all of the skills that I learned at this skill serve me in my current profession, airbrushing, precision, are all applied to photoshop. I mostly learned Photoshop on my own but my skills were sharpened at a job for Compass Learning as a digital illustrator of children's learning materials.



History: Describe the history that led you to doing “what you love,” as a career:
early interests, experiences, motivation.


Ever since I can remember I loved to draw, color and do art. It has been a continual progression ever since with my interest increasing with each passing year


Obstacles: Describe any obstacles you had to overcome to do what you do now.

I was diagnosed Bi-Polar when I was 22 years old and was throw for a loop for about 10 years waiting tables, bartending before I slowly began to get back on track
with a graphics profession. I owe a great debt to my wife Dawne of 19 years for helping me along the way.


Mentors: Describe others who affirmed your goal of doing “what you love,”
and/or helped you in some way to reach your goal.


Boy, too many to describe. I'd say that I had an inner guiding force that kept me on the path towards doing what I love.



Advice: Is there any advice that you would give to a young person about doing “what
you love?”

You only have one life. If you chase money and think that the prize lies at the end of your journey you will waste your precious life. Stay close to what makes you happyand your life will be full of rewards, you will see that the prize IS the journey, and if your journey is walking the path of your passion, you will lead a fulfilling life.I am an artist. I do graphics as a profession but I paint and collage and have art shows and show my work all over the world via my web site http://www.mattforderer.comWhat you do as a profession does not define you. Your actions, how you treat others defines you. Follow your dreams but allow that dream to morph, change, shift."If you but set foot on the path, you will see it everywhere"Bob Marley said"If you know what life is worth, you will looks for yours right here on earth"I have had a long journey with bumps along the way but to use a sailing analogy.....I kept my boat pointing in the direction of my dreams, the life that I wished to live....and lo and behold......I am living a life that I love, with a beautiful daughter, wife, family, more friends than I can count, but most of all I live a life of INSPIRATION !!!!!!Being inspired is better than being happy.