SacPopCast |EP. 02| Birds, Benches & the Miwok: Matt's Public Art Project Changing Sacramento

## He's a Multi-Medium Artist (And That's an Understatement)

Matt doesn't fit neatly into one box. Video, photo, ceramics — he's working across all of it. That kind of creative range isn't just impressive, it's intentional. For him, the medium serves the message, not the other way around.

## A City-Funded Project That Goes Way Deeper Than Public Art

Matt got tapped by the City of Sacramento for a project called Birds and Benches — a series of nature-themed benches coming to Natomas. But what makes it special isn't the benches themselves. Matt is the phase one artist, meaning his work sets the creative foundation that builders will actually model the whole project after. That's a big deal.

## The Miwok Connection Changes Everything

Here's where the conversation gets real. Matt is collaborating with the Miwok Band of Indians out of Shingle Springs — a tribe that was originally from Natomas before being displaced from their land. He's sitting with them, learning their cultural practices and history, and weaving all of that into artwork that will live in the very land his ancestors called home. That's not just art. That's restoration.

## Sacramento's History Is Closer Than You Think

The Miwok's original territory stretched from Natomas all the way to Shingle Springs — land we drive through every day without a second thought. Projects like this one are a reminder that the stories underneath this city are still very much alive.

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Tap in and listen to the full conversation with Matt on SacPopCast. This one's worth your time.