The Creativity Cultivator - Channel Magazine

Luke Matjas’ deep passion for championing creativity

By Zoe Lance

If you’re hanging out in front of Napa Hall, you might see one of the CSUCI’s Art students’ favorite sightings: Professor Luke Matjas whizzing by on a skateboard, in transit to the studio.

Luke Matjas

“I used to bring my skateboard into class — one I had from the 1980s — and joke with my students that it’s older than they are,” he said.

It’s this rapport with his students, coupled with a deep passion for championing creativity, that makes Matjas a beloved faculty member. As Chair and Professor of Art and Performing Arts, he teaches studio art, digital media and design courses. He gets immense satisfaction out of seeing unexpected and unique work from his students.

Professor Luke Matjas “Sometimes students sign up for design courses and think they are going to learn how to do traditional, commercial stuff,” he said. “But they’re all very conceptually driven classes, and I enjoy seeing how they each tap into their own background and their own experiences to make art. Making ‘weird’ art is a good thing in my book.”

Being a professor wasn’t always in Matjas’ plans. Before joining CSUCI, he founded his own professional graphic design studio and received a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara. But he loved the idea of his only clients being himself and his students and joined CSUCI in 2003 inspired by the CSU system’s educational mission.

The beauty of the Ventura landscape — the intersections of water, fields and mountains — also was very special. His art focuses on the relationships between humans and the environment. The work in his first solo museum exhibition, 2016’s “That Great Rock Mass is Called the Earth” at Oxnard’s Carnegie Art Museum, stemmed out of his time as an artist-in-residence at Joshua Tree National Park.

His experiences in working outside of the classroom shows his students that there are many ways to be an artist.

“From the Channel Islands to the Santa Monica Mountains to the high desert, there are so many places to look outside and see unbelievable geological features,” he said. “CSUCI is close to Los Angeles, a hub of artistic creativity, but it’s far enough away to serve as a retreat to focus. I take a lot of inspiration from this area.”

In looking back at their time at CSUCI, Art program alumni remember how he cultivated confidence in his students. Dani Kwan ’13 recalled how he encouraged students to find a place in the world of design.

“Luke has mastered the balance between being a strict instructor and nurturing mentor,” the Studio Art alumna said. “Luke made time for each of his students in and outside of class to listen, ease our worries and give us guidance. To this day, my peers and I who have graduated continue to look up to Luke and still strive to impress him.”

Ben Blanchard ’15, remembered talking to Matjas at Discover CI, an event for future CSUCI students. By the end of their conversation, Blanchard knew that he wanted to be in Matjas’ courses. He took many, including an independent study program.

“I was intrigued by his outright exuberance for the program. It was hard not to be excited leaving his talk,” the Studio Art alumnus said. “I enjoyed learning from Luke because he cared as much about my work as I did and was always willing to go above and beyond to help me succeed.”

To Matjas, CSUCI Art students are exceptional for the energy and diverse ideas they bring to the table. Not only is he teaching them the skills needed to be a professional artist, but how to infuse what they learn in the classroom into everyday life.

“We are using different tools to unlock a whole range of creative practices and ideas,” he said. “Our students learn how to be part of a team, and to bring their own experiences to the table and do something interesting with them. Learning how to be creative on a daily basis is one of the most rewarding things you can do, regardless of the field.”

Editor’s Note: Visit the John Spoor Broome Library featuring Professor Matjas’ latest art exhibit, “The Young People’s Guide to our Woodland World,” through Aug. 24.

See a 360 view of Luke's office

Note: Click/touch and drag to pan around the image. Clicking eyeglasses icon within the image will open image in full-screen mode on desktop browsers. On mobile devices clicking eyeglasses icon will activate WebVR mode for use with virtual reality headsets.

Full-page Version | View in YouTube (requires app download for mobile devices)

Return to the Table of Contents