The first time I stepped into the Matthews was in 2019. I had just transferred to Black Hills State University and I had happened upon a brochure advertising an open call to the Community Art Show. I brought in three pieces of artwork, and on that day, when I shared my art for the first time in South Dakota, the Matthews became a bigger piece of my life than I could even begin to anticipate.
The first piece of “local” art I ever purchased was from Festival in the Park. I followed the signs lining the streets until I was met with a mini metropolis of 10×10 vendor tents and the smell of kettle corn in the air… I was absolutely elated. I bounced from tent to tent in awe of how much talent could exist in one space. Then, after being blissfully overwhelmed, I sat at a picnic table under a massive tent with my Indian taco and dreamt of how I could be a part of this kind of magic…
Fast forward a few more exhibits and festivals to the opening reception for the “Out of the Box” BHSU exhibit. Desy, one of the amazing art professors at BHSU, told me I needed to intern at the Matthews. So, on May 16th, 2022, I started my journey as a part of the Matthews team. Since then, I have experienced an array of unforgettable opportunities and connections.
I have tossed candy from a flatbed trailer turned pirate ship in the rain on Fourth of July, traveled back to the prohibition era and snuck in side doors to a roaring 20s speakeasy, photographed actors who belong on broadway and musicians who have moved me to tears, designed posters, painted sets, plastered ceilings, hosted workshops, and displayed over a thousand pieces of art in the gallery.
But the greatest experience will always be held in the hands of the people I have met. It has been such an honor to watch their stories unfold over the last few years. The team I have worked with showed me how to have an unwavering dedication to a creative mission. The artists and actors inspire me to grow in my own creative endeavors and explore new mediums. Without them, I would have never been brave enough to paint an entire 3D tree (when I thought I was coming in to maybe put some flowers and cardboard rocks on the stage) for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. And of course, there is the community itself that truly brings the Matthews Magic to life. The people who support those actors and artists. The ones who volunteer their time to hand out wristbands, scan tickets, and clean up after events. It is from all of these people that I learned the true value of art in any form. It is the experience that is created to be shared between us.
Now, on May 16th, 2025, I am in the midst of transitioning exhibits in the gallery, bewildered by the talent that is being shared during Midsummer’s performances, and for the fourth year in a row, I will be managing the “Watering Hole” that lives under that big tent at the Festival where I began to dream big and dream Matthews.
