Daily Inspiration: Meet Matthew Penick

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Penick

Matthew , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2004, from the scraps of leather and some inspiration, Matthew created his first ever costume in college- the Nightwalker. The armor suit was only worn once before four words changed the course of his life forever: “Do you take commissions?” Thus, Ribbons and Rivets was born in 2009. Although he was self-taught, Matthew’s attention to detail and unique designs allowed for Ribbons and Rivets to grow from a small hobby done on the coffee table of his living room to include multiple artists, collaborators, and general supporters. They now travel to comic cons, Renaissance festivals, craft shows and art events throughout the year to present their wares – armor, knick-knacks, costumes, and much more- and share our knowledge on the craft at panels and workshops along the east coast and Texas.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When Matthew first started out, he was working a full-time, 60 hours a week job in addition to running Ribbons and Rivets. Most of his PTO, sick days, and general time off was used to travel to shows and make inventory. During this time, the crafting was happening in one of his spare bedrooms as well as the living room coffee table. Transitioning a hobby into a more stable source of income always presents the challenge of being able to dedicate enough time, but with one like costuming which requires a large variety of tools and materials, a great limiting factor was space. It soon turned a large portion of his house into a crafting space, which made having a healthy life-work balance nearly impossible.

Matthew later ended up being able to convert a goat-dairy barn that was no longer being used on the family farm into a workshop that allowed him to expand his tool collection and store a larger amount of both materials and inventory. Although the winters required constantly running a wood stove to heat the space and the summers multiple air conditioners to keep it cool enough to work, this small step of having a dedicated workspace was integral for his ability to grow Ribbons and Rivets and start bringing in other artists.

During 2022, Matthew reached a critical tipping point- Ribbons and Rivets was accepted into enough events that it was time to make the choice to either jump into being self-employed, or dial back his efforts. He made the jump. Though nerve-racking at times, it has now been 3 years and both Matthew and his wife are able to partake in Ribbons and Rivets full time.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Matthew is hobbyist leatherworker turned professional costumer. When he first started out, he perfected his skills by focusing on leatherwork. Matthew got most of his tools and scrap pieces from Tandy Leather Factory- a local leather store that also provided a lot of knowledge and tips about how to perfect his craft. In the first several years, his focus became to hone those skills till they were easy and thoughtless. It was really perfecting these basic skills and learning how to make patterns that are both sleek and polished that set his style apart from others.

Matthew learned patterning came from hours of practice of trial-and-error and of deconstructing costumes presented in books, movies, and shows and reconstructing them in the appropriate materials that made them mobile and feasible to wear for extended periods of time. This became one of his most valuable skills- the three-dimensional approach towards a costume that allowed him to take on commissions and which sparked the motto of Ribbons and Rivets- “Bringing Imagination to Life”.

Matthew’s most proud of his journey to this point- of pushing himself to work his welding job to fund his growing company till it could support his transition to full time and also of his focus on delivering a high quality product that gained him recognition in costuming circles and prompted invited to run workshops and panels to share his knowledge.

What matters most to you? Why?
The thing that matters most to Matthew is to inspire others- whether it’s to pursue their art business, to create their own costume, to bring to life their own character, or even to dress up. It is how he would like to influence the communities around him and leave his creative mark on the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ribbonsandrivets.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ribbons.rivets
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ribbons.Rivets
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ribbonsandrivets