User:Mwilson
From The Secret History of the Cedar Valley
Matthew Wilson
I am an Assistant Professor in the Art Department at Wartburg College. I teach basic graphic and interactive design classes, as well as Art History.
For twelve years, I worked as a professional interactive designer and creative director in New York City. From 2002-2005, I worked as a creative director at Creative Realities producing interactive experience designs for retail, entertainment, and exhibit environments. My professional portfolio can be viewed at: http://matthew.splitred.com/
I was a teenager in Cedar Falls during the 80s. I was in several bands, set up shows, and wrote a couple of zines. I went to art school in Kansas City from 1988-1992 so still had some involvement in the CF music scene during those years. My brothers Mark Wilson, Mike Wilson, Steve Wilson, and Ben Wilson were also all involved in the CF music scene from the early '90s through 2006.
My main interest and focus is in the punk/alternative music scene in Iowa from 1982 to 1991. I'm interested in how the influence of larger punk scenes made its way to Iowa and how we then filtered it, distilled it, mixed it, added to it, and made it our own.
My main motivation in creating this exhibition was to bring people together--I wanted all the musicians and fans to have a place to come back together and celebrate something that they loved and supported. I wanted to also bring the music scene into the spotlight and celebrate it in one big burst of creative energy.
Future goals include creating and funding a digital archive of Iowa punk/underground rock music. I want to preserve the music--much of it currently stored on deteriorating analog tape.
