I’ve seen the story posts and read what people have said. I haven’t been keen to address it because what is being said is both hurtful and false and because I am not interested in airing grievances publicly. I think this kind of behavior is extremely ugly, but at this point the allegations are so egregious I want to say something.
About a month ago, I made the decision to no longer work with people who were being unkind and disrespectful to me and people I care about. The behavior you are seeing today is much of what led me to end these relationships. I will address a few of the specific allegations and I believe a pattern clearly emerges.
First, that I’ve pressured folks into larger booths — what is missing from this claim is that I offered, multiple times, in person and over text, to pay for the difference because I didn’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable. I also apologized in person if I made folks feel that way at the time and was told everything was good. It is only after I ended things that now these issues that were resolved are coming back up in vague terms.
Second, the claim that I have ‘stolen’ from artists, especially to pay for things for the Sun Rot release party. The truth is that my wife, and the Smashbash co-founder, has, until recently, worked full-time outside of Smashbash in marketing. We’ve used money from her job to fund things we think would be fun to sell or give away, including this party. She organized the entire thing and funded it herself because she wanted to make a fun event for folks who love Sun Rot. She’s recently taken a break from her full-time job and has been helping more and more in Smashbash, bringing new things to the shop like stickers, pins, (using our personal funds) and creating more content like the video that triggered folks the other day. To see people who have no idea what is going on in my life, with my family, and our finances immediately assume the worst about me and her is exactly what led to the end of these relationships.
Third, it is true that money is still owed to one artist. That is because I work with other companies who pay on net 30, 60, and 90. This is a fairly common way businesses work. When Smashbash is paid, I will pay the artist. This has been clearly and respectfully communicated as you can see.
At the end of the day, Smashbash started - and still is - very much DIY. As a person, I do make mistakes. For example, at one convention a box didn’t show up in the mail and in the hubbub of everything I did not keep an accurate record of what I sold over that weekend. I apologized for that mistake, and worked to make it right. I took the gross sales at Adepticon and paid out 30%, against the historical sales on Smashbash website. Then, after having a conversation, I rounded up to 40%. I paid out on gross receipts, on the sum total of my all of my Adepticon earnings, to ensure things were made right.
At every step, if I erred, I have done the same things: 1. Apologized and, 2. Worked with them to make things right, often leading to a loss for me. And, most importantly to me 3. Been told by those people that we were good. Now, on the eve of something exciting and cool that I have created, they chose to come out and try and tear me down.
Everyone I have ever worked with, including recent departures, has been paid on time, fairly, and transparently. When there have been mistakes, I have rounded up, in artists favor, to make up for those, in a way that they agreed made them whole.
This whole situation sucks. It sucks that people I looked up to and respected don’t see eye to eye with me. It sucks that we weren’t able to find a common ground. It sucks that we couldn't end things amicably, though I did try. And it sucks to be dog-piled and to have your name dragged in the mud in public. To have hear-say and allegation - without receipt or record - spread as if it were gospel hurts, in particular since it stands in stark contrast to my actual lived behavior. Smashbash started as a community event, where I mailed prizes away, for free, to every one who entered, to bring a little joy. I got unique prize statues sculpted by artists I like and admire, and paid them, and then gave them away for free. A tradition that continues to this day.
I stand, ten toes down, on my words, actions, and behavior, which have always been about taking accountability, making things right, and treating people with kindness and respect. Most recently it has also meant setting boundaries when I am disrespected, harassed, and bullied. I am not inclined to continue this because I don’t think it is ultimately good for anyone involved, but I also have no problem showing all the receipts to clear my name because what is being said is false, malicious, hurtful, and inaccurate.
At the end of the day, I got into this hobby because I Iove making weird art and being inspired by other people making weird art. I have always been principled against gatekeepers, cops, and bullies and that continues to this day. - Matt