what I do.
​I'm a fine arts painter in Toronto who completed studies at York University for visual arts. I'm now practicing, and exhibiting in Toronto, and a full-time guitar nerd who draws, paints, and finishes on guitars.
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When painting on guitars, I'm interested in combining the practices of the conceptual and abstract from my fine arts work, with the heavy line work found in illustration and East Asian-based work. ​
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When painting on canvas, I'm interested in giving colour to experiences that can't be readily defined.
testimonials.
"I’ve ordered two custom guitars from Mathias, and I can honestly say I love how they’ve both turned out. My fiancée loved the 'Tides' Strat I built, and my 'Karpcaster' makes a splash at all of my gigs"
Quinn Parsley @qparsley1
I absolutely adore this guitar—Mathias captured our cats so perfectly in this work of art, which means even more to me now as the front serves as a memorial piece for Beatrice. It is a truly unique piece I’ll cherish forever. Working with Mathias was so simple-- I knew what to expect every step of the way, and he delivered quality above and beyond what I could have imagined. Snagging a roasted maple neck from Warmoth, ObsidianWire pre-wired controls, Fender hardware, and some Klein Jazzy Cats really rounded this out and it's so smooth and comfortable to play-- my main every day of the week!""
"J B-C"
"Hi! My name is Tim and I have the honour of owning Mathias' first snare drum art work!
Working with Mathias Chau for a custom snare drum was an extraordinary experience. From the beginning to the end, Mathias demonstrated an impressive understanding of my vision, blending it seamlessly from his drawings onto the snare drum.
His attention to detail and ability to translate my ideas into a beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece was beyond my expectations. The final result is not just a painting, but a stunning work of art that perfectly reflects both my personal taste and Mathias's incredible talent.
I couldn’t be happier with how the snare drum turned out and would highly recommend his custom work to anyone seeking a truly personalized masterpiece!"
Tim Mata @tim.m_98
"...I reached out to Mathias in late 2021 asking about commissioning a custom space themed Strat...
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After talking it over, he showed me his signature “Tides” design, and I fell in love...
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My friend Russell Anthony is a luthier, and set up the guitar with a custom baritone neck, custom Seymour Duncan pickups, shiny gold plated bridge and tuners, and a gold whammy. She is perfect!
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I play this guitar exclusively in my band called Any Color You Like... [at] instagram.com/acylmusic
I’m beyond happy with my guitar and I always receive the nicest​compliments. If you’re in the market for something completely unique, I would definitely consider buying your own custom from Mathias. He’s a wizard!"
Noah Slavin (From Any Colour You Like)
@noahslavinmusic