Jamie Toll
Brooklyn artist Jamie Toll (@mrtoll on Instagram) approached Mats with the idea of a “selfie” graffiti piece to reflect his love for street art. They ended up gluing big sheets of moisture-resistant plywood together and stenciled the letters, which Mats then cut and hand-carved. For the reflective piece, Mats routered out the back and cut the acrylic mirror, then covered the frame in multiple layers of epoxy. For two years, it’s been hanging in a Brooklyn hardware store on Metropolitan Avenue.
Todd Snyder
When Mats appeared on Anthony Bourdain’s Raw Craft, Balvenie, one of the show’s sponsors, asked five makers to create a piece for a special promotion they were doing with menswear designer Todd Snyder. Balvenie flew in whiskey barrels from their Scotland distillery. After a few long days of trial and error, Mats realized that carving out the sides and keeping the top and bottom intact was the best way of honoring the spirit of Balvenie and its storied history. Transformed into an elegant-yet-rustic shelving piece, Mats unveiled the barrel at an event at the Todd Snyder store.
Childhood USA
Founded by Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, this charity advocates for the rights of vulnerable and exploited children all over the world.A Swedish friend of Mats asked if he wanted to make a piece to auction at their fundraising event, with all the proceeds going to further the charity’s mission — he was happy to help. The event was a success, and António Guterres, the Secretary General of the UN, gave a moving speech. Mats was humbled to sit at Queen Silvia’s table. “It was a great event, a great evening for a great cause.” he said.