Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Robinson.
Hi Matthew, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey as an artist and writer began almost a decade ago and has gradually grown and evolved since. Up to that point I had dabbled in writing, but I had never found a consistent practice or a creative core. Coupled with a devastating loss of some of my earlier work that had been stored digitally, I just was unable to find the inspiration or enthusiasm to write regularly. The summer of 2017 marked a turning point however, during which I discovered my first typewriter in a local antique shop. I was immediately drawn to it from both a historical and mechanical perspective, although I initially gave little thought to its use as a writing tool. On a whim however I began experimenting writing on it and quickly discovered the powerful connection to the creative process it enabled for me. I began writing more seriously and consistently, though I still rarely shared what I wrote with others. It was also in 2017 that I discovered a love for travel and the inspiration that it offered, both in the locations that I visited and in the people that I met. That was when my persona as The Traveling Typist began to take shape, leading me to explore traveling with my typewriters as a way of documenting my experiences and creating something unique.
However, it was not until 2022 that I finally found the courage to share my writing publically. Inspired by other writers and street poets, I decided to take the leap into sharing my work by setting up on a public sidewalk and creating free poetry for passersby. The initial anxiety of this act quickly transformed into joy as I discovered the outpouring of kindness and support from everyone I encountered. It felt so wonderful to share both my love of writing and my love of typewriters freely with the world, seeing the joy and comfort that a poem could inspire. Following my first street pop up I began setting up at other locations, including local street fairs, art markets, and music festivals, and truly fell in love with writing bespoke poetry, also exploring other poetry adjacent projects, all centered around a core philosophy of reciprocity and connection. I began using the term “Typewriter Performance Art” to describe what I do, as I see the collaborative nature of bespoke poetry and other projects as a means of creating something that would have otherwise not been possible. Each encounter is a connection forged, resulting in a one of a kind creation, something more than just a piece of writing. I’ve had so many wonderful opportunities to share my writing at different events and locations, traveled across the West Coast with my typewriters seeking organic inspiration from landmarks and locations, and curated a comprehensive collection of antique typewriters that I am so proud to discuss and share with others. I embrace my alias as The Traveling Typist with a profound sense of pride and honor, seeking to embody a role as a public joy creator in every action that I do. My use of typewriters extends beyond writing as well, and I am continually experimenting with their unique creative application in making visual art.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve definitely found moments of struggle, especially from the self doubt that comes in sharing my writing with so many and whether it was worthy of being shared, but the people I meet and the Portland artist community have always been nothing but supportive and kind, have helped me to find the courage to not doubt myself. I’ve found that even when I struggle to find the right words for a particular poem, I have an opportunity to push my creativity and explore the power of language, and that every poem I write I gain the opportunity to learn, grow, and forge a powerful connection with those that I meet. Of the over 5000 poems that I’ve written I have kept a record of less than 250, and that is something which I am often asked about. I find that in creating poetry for others there is a powerful freedom in the release without expectation of my work, never knowing where it may end up. It can be a source of anxiety at times wondering if I have done a poem justice, but in the end, I give every poem I create my spirit, and I hope that each one is able to make a positive impact on someone and spark joy and hope.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My specialty is all things typewriter and mechanical! I love the feel, the sound, and the unbridled flow that typewriters provide, and my goal as an artist and writer is to share that with the world and spread joy with every project that I curate. I find the role that I play varies from project to project, at times heavily grounded, such as when creating bespoke poetry, and at other times more mystical, playing the role of the scribe in order to facilitate an exchange of ideas and forge connections between people. My collection consists of over 100 antique typewriters, ranging in age from 40 to 127 years old, and including machines in over 15 different languages from French to Korean, as well oddities such as a machine designed for transcribing sheet music, and I am working to share those machines with fellow creatives in the community as a collective resource. My collection, which I have coined the “Typewriter Conservancy”, is curated with the purpose of not just being a dormant collection, but rather as a collective resource for writers, artists, and anyone who is interested in typewriters as a tool of creation. I’m proud to have had the ability to curate such an in-depth array of machines, both through serendipitous acquisitions in local antique shops as well as through trades with other collections, an example being my Hangul typewriter which I acquired in a trade with a fellow enthusiast in Korea. I have also built my skills in typewriter repair, though I am far from an expert and only service machines of my own. Although strange, I have a fascination with taking my typewriters to unique locations, ones off the beaten path or to places less traveled. I have climbed mountains, explored caves, and visited landmarks both well known and more obscure, documenting my experiences at every step. I am an amateur photographer, and love nothing more than a stunning location to photograph with my typewriters.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Portland is a city with a charm that I find is truly unmatched! Every neighborhood, every street, every nook and cranny is hiding something unique, and traveling across the city from event to event always brings with it new faces and opportunities to discover and spread joy. The phrase
“Keep Portland Weird” is well earned, and I hope that with my art and writing I can contribute to that weirdness. I think that Portland suffers, like many cities today, from the digital divide, the pull of technology which despite making communication easier than ever, has made us less social and more isolated, and a guiding philosophy of my artwork is to bridge that divide and help reconnect us. I am hugely inspired by Portland’s many wonderful communities, and all that they show that we can accomplish when we gather together.
Pricing:
- During street pop ups I offer my poetry completly free of charge, as I never want cost to prohibit one from receiving a poem in a time of need.
- I share my poetry at private events by an hourly rate, though it varies based on a variety of factors. I am always interested in offering free or reduced cost services for charity and non-profit groups.
- I offer poetry comissions via my website, starting at $20.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://TheTravelingTypist.info
- Instagram: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.instagram.com/thetravelingtypist/&ved=2ahUKEwij66OjgLaWAxXfDDQIHbplAiIQFnoECBcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2zKscTck1TcQFM2X9gy0at
- Facebook: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Traveling-Typist-100093214296327/&ved=2ahUKEwj645-ogLaWAxWpITQIHQScEUIQFnoECCMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3khokBAZf6C-GYAynwKwWj
- Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/the-traveling-typist-portland
