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1. How Macky got started…

   21.Aug.07, 18:33 EDT
   
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   How Macky got started… Macky has been making art for as long as he can remember, winning sculpting contests as early as junior high. At 11, his father got him a lead soldier-making kit. That’s when art was introduced and it quickly became evident that it was to be his purpose in life. At 11 he could melt the lead in a small pot, pour it into molds, and paint the little figurines. These soldiers were often given to his parents friends. The response was wild - the adults all loved them!! As a boy this was real validation for a child surrounded by intimidating, book-smart people. The art carried Macky into all the art classes at Cardinal Newman high school. His love for lead figure painting continued to grow during this period. It was the MTV generation, which Macky believes also had a huge impact on him... In college, initially in Tallahassee, he did cartoons for the Tallahassee Tribune (a college paper) and even won an award for best cartoon accompanying a story. The cartooning went on about 2 years and ended with the start of junior year at Florida State. There, he majored in Theater and studied acting, set building, and took a few classes in Black Studies, including some private sessions with Dr. William Jones. Macky believes the private sessions with Dr. Jones were some of his best learning experiences in college. After college, Macky moved to North Miami Beach, Florida, and got a job in the music business, selling Hip Hop records to stores and chains across the country. It was awesome, because Macky was selling all the groups he loved and watching how the business works on that end. That job evolved into a promotions job at a major management company, whose biggest client was Sinatra. During this time, Macky also did road work, created logos and flyers, and most of the art for a group called Bloodline, a rock band comprised of famous kids. The job lasted 2 years and then Macky made the risky move to Los Angeles. He initially pursued a career in acting, but it was a game that never seemed to please him. Art had always been his outlet, continually filling sketch books or sculpting faces. Friends always said, "Why don't you just focus on art?" It eventually sunk in… While still trying to book auditions or acting jobs, Macky set up shop at the Venice Beach board walk and started selling hand-sculpted clay face magnets. The response was ok, but not great, until he was taken under the wing of a well established board walk artist, Jackson Collins. Jackson told the young artist he had something special to build on, which gave him inspiration… Unfortunately, that didn't pay the bills, so Macky started tending bar at the Beverly Hills Spago. There he made enough cash to stay afloat and think more about his art. In time, Macky got a booth with college buddy Cindy Freeman and Mickey at the famous Melrose flea market. Here the magnets garnered a great response. He built a small, but loyal, fan base that came back weekly to see what was new… Japanese tourists tended to be his best customers, freaking out over the faces. This lasted about a year… Through an old friend, Ben Lewis, Macky was then hired to work in the art department for Oscar Albuerne, the head artist for many major shows on MTV. Oscar was an artist in every way that Macky was and more…Oscar became a mentor to Macky, as he had knowledge of many areas and levels of art. It was a great experience for Macky…Oscar's dad, Oscar Senior, is a famous Cuban painter, who also took Macky under his wing, spending many great moments showing Macky his art... Between Ben, Oscar and Oscar Senior, it felt like Macky was being guided by da Vinci and Michelangelo! Since then, there have been many great moments, including showcasing Macky's art on two episodes of MTV's “PUNK'd”, which featured Ashlee Simpson and Hugh Jackman. Macky, Ben, and Oscar, Jr. have also worked together on many silk screening projects, professionally and for fun. Oscar was an ex-screener and graciously offered to train Macky. Mutt™ has been the label for Macky's passion since 1997. Just recently, he donated a customized 3-foot skateboard to the Rush foundation. It is a charity created by Russell, Danny, and Reverend Run Simmons to send kids to art school. The skateboard is painted with depictions of moments from Russell’s life. It was a huge honor for Macky to be able to be a part of such a worthy charity. Mutt is on its way to a city near you. Become a part of a better way…