With The Imagemaker’s Handbook, Matt Mahurin has gifted the world a guidebook that speaks not only to artistic pursuits, but to the true essence to what it means to walk the earth with consciousness and awareness. The work is remarkable in its depth and wisdom. Truly the book I wish I had as a young artist. Matt speaks with an unguarded vulnerability that creates an experience that is rare. His words resonate with honesty and clarity, offering something that feels like a true gift to humanity.
DAN WINTERS
Photographer-Director-Illustrator-Author
Winner of over 100 national and international awards in the publishing, advertising, and music worlds
Matt Mahurin is sui generis, which is a fancy Latin way of saying he truly is one of a kind. I’ve been lucky to be on the receiving end of Matt’s brilliance and watch his fearlessness and passion in action. As The Imagemaker’s Handbook reveals in granular detail, each artistic endeavor—be it photography, illustration, filmmaking, and more—is the product of a lifetime of learning, soul-searching, and ambition. His vision is embedded in everything he does.
ARTHUR HOCHSTEIN
Art Director of TIME Magazine
Oversaw the creative process of the magazine and designed more than 1,000 covers
I saw one of Matt’s earliest lectures and afterwards he gave a painting demonstration. He was giving it all away—everything he’d learned about his craft (and living the artist’s life) was laid bare. It was like nothing I’d ever seen before. All these years later and deep into a genius career like no other, with this epic manual/memoir—his latest ‘demonstration’—Matt Mahurin is still giving it all away. Scanning these pages of The Imagemaker’s Handbook, I can’t help but see a self-portrait of Matt as a multi-armed deity of the creative. One hand holds a pencil, another a paintbrush. A light bulb held above his head shines brightly. Matt is dropping the mother of creative instructionals—the how-to of how-tos. Be amazed.
FRED WOODWARD
Art Director Rolling Stone magazine for 400 issues
Creative Director GQ, Art Director Texas Monthly, Inductee Art Director’s Club Hall of Fame
Choosing a life as an applied artist comes with challenges and rewards that oscillate between euphoria and exhaustion, but eventually lead to purpose. The Imagemaker’s Handbook fast-tracks not only process, but also the honesty, discipline, and long-term commitment it takes to find a path—and to mentally prepare yourself for the wild ride that comes with it. Mahurin’s writings validate that a healthy dose of focused passion and happiness is essential. That’s why they call it a journey—unpredictable at times, demanding at others—but ultimately well worth it. I’m deeply grateful for these lessons, and equally grateful for a 30-year friendship that has continually inspired me throughout a lifetime of creating.
MARK SELIGER
Photographer/Director/Musician
Chief Photographer for Rolling Stone Magazine 1992-2002
The Imagemaker’s Handbook is a study in the psychology of creation and what happens when that creation enters the world—an informational and inspirational memoir from one our greatest visual storytellers—and a much-needed dose of artistic therapy. These five volumes supply the tools to empower the confidence essential to navigating the professional world when you have only yourself to rely on. TIH delivers what many craft books miss—an examination of the artist’s psychological understanding of their work. Mahurin’s voice reverberates with the wonder of creation—even after seeming to do it all, in every medium, and for every audience. Matt’s reminder of the miracle of discovery exists only within the artist’s creative process is the greatest gift of The Imagemaker’s Handbook.
JULIA FIERRO
Novelist, Founder, and Director of The Sackett Street Writers’ Workshop. A creative home to 15,000 writers and named “New York City’s best writing class”
Matt Mahurin has been my illustration role model for decades and his work on The Imagemaker’s Handbook is as honest, raw, and inspiring as any picture or film I have ever seen him make. While I wish I had this resource earlier in my career, these books continue to inform and inspire me today. I'm incredibly grateful that Matt has taken the time to share his philosophies, experiences, and stories with the world. The Imagemaker’s Handbook is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of what it means to live a creative life.
EVAN SPIRIDELLIS
10-time Emmy Award winning Director, Producer, Writer
Co-Founder of Jib-Jab and StoryBots
This voluminous handbook is just what artists need at this moment. As a career in the arts becomes more challenging and as AI becomes more of a threat to our careers, this handbook generously explains how to avoid the pitfalls that many artists experience and inspires us to flourish through our art. I learned so many things later in my career; if I’d read this book sooner, I could have saved myself a lot of grief. Also, it’s not necessary to read it all at once; one can refer to whatever issue is pressing at the moment. It’s a perfect guide for the beginner and also for the seasoned professional from a legendary imagemaker.
ANITA KUNZ
Illustrator-Author-Educator
The Society of Illustrators’ Hall of Fame, Officer of the Order of Canada
The title - The Imagemaker’s Handbook - sounds almost ironically dry. But it is in fact a riveting, funny, at times moving, and of course incredibly insightful and encyclopedic read that takes you right into the mind of a prodigiously multi-talented artist, neuroses, warts, wisdom, and all. You are entertained as you learn, you learn as you are entertained.
NICK BRANDT
Photographer
“Your work makes the shadow-self beautiful. I don’t know how you do that, but that’s your alchemy.”
BONO
DAN WINTERS
Photographer-Director-Illustrator-Author
Winner of over 100 national and international awards in the publishing, advertising, and music worlds
Matt Mahurin is sui generis, which is a fancy Latin way of saying he truly is one of a kind. I’ve been lucky to be on the receiving end of Matt’s brilliance and watch his fearlessness and passion in action. As The Imagemaker’s Handbook reveals in granular detail, each artistic endeavor—be it photography, illustration, filmmaking, and more—is the product of a lifetime of learning, soul-searching, and ambition. His vision is embedded in everything he does.
ARTHUR HOCHSTEIN
Art Director of TIME Magazine
Oversaw the creative process of the magazine and designed more than 1,000 covers
I saw one of Matt’s earliest lectures and afterwards he gave a painting demonstration. He was giving it all away—everything he’d learned about his craft (and living the artist’s life) was laid bare. It was like nothing I’d ever seen before. All these years later and deep into a genius career like no other, with this epic manual/memoir—his latest ‘demonstration’—Matt Mahurin is still giving it all away. Scanning these pages of The Imagemaker’s Handbook, I can’t help but see a self-portrait of Matt as a multi-armed deity of the creative. One hand holds a pencil, another a paintbrush. A light bulb held above his head shines brightly. Matt is dropping the mother of creative instructionals—the how-to of how-tos. Be amazed.
FRED WOODWARD
Art Director Rolling Stone magazine for 400 issues
Creative Director GQ, Art Director Texas Monthly, Inductee Art Director’s Club Hall of Fame
Choosing a life as an applied artist comes with challenges and rewards that oscillate between euphoria and exhaustion, but eventually lead to purpose. The Imagemaker’s Handbook fast-tracks not only process, but also the honesty, discipline, and long-term commitment it takes to find a path—and to mentally prepare yourself for the wild ride that comes with it. Mahurin’s writings validate that a healthy dose of focused passion and happiness is essential. That’s why they call it a journey—unpredictable at times, demanding at others—but ultimately well worth it. I’m deeply grateful for these lessons, and equally grateful for a 30-year friendship that has continually inspired me throughout a lifetime of creating.
MARK SELIGER
Photographer/Director/Musician
Chief Photographer for Rolling Stone Magazine 1992-2002
The Imagemaker’s Handbook is a study in the psychology of creation and what happens when that creation enters the world—an informational and inspirational memoir from one our greatest visual storytellers—and a much-needed dose of artistic therapy. These five volumes supply the tools to empower the confidence essential to navigating the professional world when you have only yourself to rely on. TIH delivers what many craft books miss—an examination of the artist’s psychological understanding of their work. Mahurin’s voice reverberates with the wonder of creation—even after seeming to do it all, in every medium, and for every audience. Matt’s reminder of the miracle of discovery exists only within the artist’s creative process is the greatest gift of The Imagemaker’s Handbook.
JULIA FIERRO
Novelist, Founder, and Director of The Sackett Street Writers’ Workshop. A creative home to 15,000 writers and named “New York City’s best writing class”
Matt Mahurin has been my illustration role model for decades and his work on The Imagemaker’s Handbook is as honest, raw, and inspiring as any picture or film I have ever seen him make. While I wish I had this resource earlier in my career, these books continue to inform and inspire me today. I'm incredibly grateful that Matt has taken the time to share his philosophies, experiences, and stories with the world. The Imagemaker’s Handbook is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of what it means to live a creative life.
EVAN SPIRIDELLIS
10-time Emmy Award winning Director, Producer, Writer
Co-Founder of Jib-Jab and StoryBots
This voluminous handbook is just what artists need at this moment. As a career in the arts becomes more challenging and as AI becomes more of a threat to our careers, this handbook generously explains how to avoid the pitfalls that many artists experience and inspires us to flourish through our art. I learned so many things later in my career; if I’d read this book sooner, I could have saved myself a lot of grief. Also, it’s not necessary to read it all at once; one can refer to whatever issue is pressing at the moment. It’s a perfect guide for the beginner and also for the seasoned professional from a legendary imagemaker.
ANITA KUNZ
Illustrator-Author-Educator
The Society of Illustrators’ Hall of Fame, Officer of the Order of Canada
The title - The Imagemaker’s Handbook - sounds almost ironically dry. But it is in fact a riveting, funny, at times moving, and of course incredibly insightful and encyclopedic read that takes you right into the mind of a prodigiously multi-talented artist, neuroses, warts, wisdom, and all. You are entertained as you learn, you learn as you are entertained.
NICK BRANDT
Photographer
“Your work makes the shadow-self beautiful. I don’t know how you do that, but that’s your alchemy.”
BONO