In this Q&A we catch up with Mat Voyce at a pivotal moment—newly a parent, mid-project, and in the middle of redefining what creative success looks like. Known for his bold, kinetic typography and sense of fun, Mat speaks candidly about the shifting rhythms of life with a newborn, how he’s rethinking his relationship with work, and the quiet lessons fatherhood is already teaching him. In a conversation full of warmth and honesty, he reflects on identity, legacy, and the art of staying creatively alive while raising a tiny human.
Has fatherhood changed the way you structure your creative work and personal projects?
Absolutely, now it’s all about using the time I have during my working day to the absolute max, squeezing every second out of it whilst attempting not to get too distracted by my family while my wife is on maternity leave, and before our son goes to nursery. I still try to put time aside to create some personal pieces, however, that time has now been demoted to much later in the evenings or nights.
How has the emotional journey of becoming a parent influenced your creativity or the way you approach your work?
I was unexpectedly emotional during my wife’s postpartum, almost a complete emotional rollercoaster, but it also served as a nice learning curve. When I returned to the desk, I tried to use some of the emotion towards my personal work or even input those feelings into the way I animated typography and words. I have started to look at certain worries or roadblocks in my commercial work as simply smaller problems, things that will not change my life if they go wrong… it is after all, just work.
Becoming a parent invites the work of so many other creatives into your life, from animators to kids’ fashion, toys, decor, music, and more. What are you most excited about exploring with your son as he grows?
I can’t wait to rewatch films or even cartoons from my childhood with him, or even introducing him to the Playstation, something I grew up with from PS1 > PS5. I spent so much of my time watching films and tv on top of exploring and getting outside (before iPhones existed) that I think there are certain aspects about how I grew up that would be important to show him.
Have you found unexpected creative inspiration in the everyday moments of early parenthood?
I certainly found myself looking at certain themes or possible ideas differently. I feel there are some ideas that didn’t really have any creative fuel until I actually had a child and experienced the start of that crazy journey. I did start to spend more time creating pieces with the thought in mind of ‘maybe my kid would like to watch this’ almost making pieces with him as the target user in mind (even if he has zero screen time right now).
How do you manage your creative energy while balancing work, family life, and the unpredictability of a newborn?
Yeah that has been very tricky, finding that energy when all other energy is gone has been interesting. I have tried to take everyday as a new day, stepping into it with a fresh mind and perspective, trying to take things in and also not take anything for granted. I mean I work from home on projects and briefs that I love, plus I get to be around my family, so that is an exciting thought to start each day.
How has fatherhood influenced your priorities when it comes to personal projects versus client work?
Before I had a child I would spend many, many hours on personal projects, essentially ensuring to get things out on social media and keep myself relevant. Now I have learnt to take my time and take a step back, making projects when I feel ready and also spending much more time on each piece, using more skills and techniques to make longer & more detailed final outcomes.
Do you see animation or storytelling differently now that you’re a parent?
Even before we had a child most of my work felt almost a bit childish, mainly down to my journey and inspirations growing up. So now that I have a child and am almost surrounded with more characters, animals and stories I have actually started to pick up on the craft of each. For example watching a cartoon or animated film and really inspecting how it was made, looking for techniques and tricks. I have also started to try and introduce more of a story or theme to my personal pieces.
Looking to the future, how do you hope to introduce your son to creativity as he grows?
I hope he finds a natural path into something he loves, be that through experimentation or through picking things up from his parents. Both myself and his mother have a creative flare and a strong sense of being a family unit, so I would not be surprised if it rubs off on him in one way or another. As long as he finds something he genuinely loves doing, we will be happy and proud!
A big thanks to Mat for taking the time to give us an insight into his daily life. If you liked this and want to check out more stories from Creative Parents, head over to the Interviews section now.
