Weekly Post

I am going to try to make it a habit from now on to post at least once a week. For this week I am just going to posta drawing from my sketch book. The drawing however is a couple months old.

Great People for the Holiday's

I had a wonderful weekend full of making new friends and learning about people in the area. More and more I am finding that I am getting more encouragement and awareness that I should difanetely be prosuing my art as a career.
I kept thinking about this a lot today actually. I really have had trouble seeing myself being a professional illustrator/artist. Or just living on making art and doing it 8 hours a day. I do draw a lot. And I mean a lot. But normally the things I draw are my own self entertainment. With a lot of the new exposure I am witnessing and talking to a lot of artist in different mediums and ranges I am slowly getting to the point where I can see myself just living on my art.
However it is very tough for me to really see that happening. I think it's just hard because it's been a hobby for a very very long time. I am just use to it being what I want and the big change is, to making something for what someone else wants.
Several discussions with people I met over this weekend have been about them seeing what I make and what potential I have if I try doing this and that. Like one person brought up from a workshop that my art would look really cool as sculptures. Which is more Jenn's area. But I do like making 3D art. Like I studied 3D modeling at AIP and some of my art does have a three dimensional look. So it might be worth trying to sculpt my characters or different things I draw. So it might doing a little fiddling playing around with such art.
I am defiantly hungry for being more involved in entertainment media. Yeah, I know that can mean almost anything. Potentially I am thinking games. Like, video games, card games, interactive, etc. So I will need to make examples of work to show I have the skills for these.
I have to make it happen. Soon.
I believe it is going to happen.
It will happen :)

Handmade Wallets

Many are not aware that I make handmade wallets and sell them. They have been selling very well actually. It has kept me pretty busy for this holiday.
The wallets I make are currently at store called Fabricate, located in Northside Cincinnati. I think you should stop by and check them.
They are located at:
4012 Hamilton Ave.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45223
www.fabnorthside.com

Here are a few pictures to see what they look like. :)

Selling handmade paper

I currently have enough paper made to take my handmade paper to dealers. However I am presenting my paper to those interest in purchasing them directly. If you or anyone you might know interested in purchasing paper from me, please contact me at brennan2bb@gmail.com . I am selling them for .50 cents a piece. Which if you have looked at other handmade papers, it is a very good deal. The stores and websites I have looked at sell them from $2.50 to $8.00. Depending on size however. A lot of scrap bookers will be pleased with what I have, or if you just want to print something on them or use them as wrapping paper, that works as well.
Please email me if you are interested. :)

Going to tell you secrets

I am looking forward to November, as I will be displaying a couple pieces at a show presented by Artworks in downtown Cincinnati. If your interested in know more about it, check out Artworks.com/secrets. I believe there will be hundreds of local artist gathering for this event. It will be a great time to get to know a lot of the artist. If your an artist and planning on being there, please feel free to come talk to me as I am trying to get to know a lot of local artist. Hope to see you there.

My art for show

Noob 2 Youb

My most recent and biggest piece of alter assemblage art piece was finished on Tuesday. I thought I would post it on here. I will be displaying and selling some pieces at the West Wood Art Festival in Cincinnati on October 3rd. If you are in the area you should stop by and say hi to Jennifer Miller and me. We are sharing a space together. Which is very exciting to me ^_^. Hope to see you there.

Still in the clouds

Here is a painted illustration I did last night. It's some appendages and parts in a cloud with fingers leaking tears.
I have about 8 more cloud illustrations yet to make. Still in process. Will have more soon or later.

ERF made

Here is my most recent alter object art piece made. It's made of a variety of things from a potato netting bag to a rubber worm that is used for fish bait. It's currently at the salon in Norwood.

Paper for the mind

Working more on a pretty decent amount of paper to sell now. I have tested the paper recently and it is confirmed that the paper I am making it neutral of acid. Which is safe to use other papers with it or photos. Once I get a large enough variety to select from I will start asking the local scrap booking stores if they wish to buy some from me.
For the time being though, here is a few pictures of the paper I have on hand.

It's my new world

The show went very well on Sunday. I heard nothing but positive feedback. There will also be a closing party for us as well. Dates to be announced soon.

Here is a piece showing at the Salon.

Feel free to stop by and say hi to Karen Neuhaus at 1911 Mentor Ave. Norwood, Ohio 45212

Set it up

Got my art pieces set up today at the salon for the show. The others are setting theirs up tomorrow. I worked a little bit on a street art collage journal today. Which I haven't messed with for about 7 months.
Went through some materials I have to plan for future art pieces.
Nothing real to exciting unless you are into art a lot. So otherwise IT was exciting and fun.
Might play some Patapon 2 now.

Refresh

Art renewed--
Getting close to the show for July 26th
I am very nervous, yet very excited about being in a show. I haven't shown anything I have really wanted to show as far as my art. So that is probably why I am excited.
So you should come check out my art and 3 other friends as well.
Kadie Sanders-- a good close friend I have known for over 5 years. She has inspired me in soooo many ways.
Christiane Sears-- a great friend that is well organized, and has lots of photography from her travels.
Laura Eyster-- a friend and amazingly talented artist.

Show is on July 26th at 2pm-5pm
Show is at Norwood Salon - 1911 Mentor Ave Norwood, Ohio 45212
call 513.602.7444 for directions if need.

Hope to see you there

Assemble

I am about done with the pieces I am working on for the art show coming up July the 26th. I just finished another piece that is made of collage and pieces of scraps and a cassette tape and things found or old stuff my mom had lying around with no home. Now this stuff that was once lost can be found in my art. I was thinking about what this art form can mean to me and to the audience that looks at them. An assemblage of nostalgia is what I am thinking what this is. Things left in the corners, the closet, the attic that we all forget about. Things that just haven't had no place for them, that end up being thrown out. I like the idea of gathering this trinkets and displaying them in an organized manner and then framing them, so others can experience them again. It's like going to your very own museum. It's quit refreshing to look and remember what was once forgotten, to find you can make some kind of relic out of it.
I hope others will see it that way.

Reuse to Refresh

I am working on several pieces for an art show that is coming up at the end of this month. I took a few of my old pieces and framed them. There is one particular piece that I am excited about, because I have had the design made up for over a year, but just got the materials to create what I had in mind. It's first biggest collage piece I have done. I have taken pictures of the process. I will put the pictures up the week of the art show.
I have only 5 more pieces to finish for the show. Most of the pieces I am submitting are collage or street art style collages.

Example--- Kolor of Greed by me Brennan Bradford © 2008-2009

Bust the Bubble

Photo by unknown

Exciting times

Today I will be at Studio E teaching about "Drawing Stories"- which is a week series teaching about the developement that goes into comics, animation and illustrated books. I am very very excited to get to show what I have learned and get to share a lot of that knowledge that made me become so interested in comics and animation in the first place.

At the same time I am preparing for an art show in July. I am working on a few new pieces that I had planned out for a long time, that I never got around to. So I will be working on those as well. Some which go along with the new altered art series that I have been posting. So keep checking for new updates.

Art from the past

Here are a few pieces I have done in the past from like 2006-2008. Some which were given to friends as gifts.
an some I still have lying around somewhere.

Teaching in Studio E

I will be teaching at Studio E in Norwood along with Lauren Rasmussen on a class called "Drawing Stories"

Here is more info.

A Week-long Series on the Art of Character Design, Comics and Animation Open to anyone, ages 10-18 (no prior experience required) Cost: $10 (for materials)

Learn how to begin illustrating your own comic strip, game design, or animated film using basic cartooning and story boarding techniques. Instructors Brennan Bradford and Lauren Rasmussen will introduce you to the style of the masters (Marvel, Disney, Studio Ghibli), then help you develop your own. Contact us by June 19 to register.

STUDIO E (1758 Lincoln Ave, 45212)

Art Journal Mountain

I spend a lot of time creating. I have a lot of sketch books to prove it.
I also do some creative journaling and collaging in them. Take a look :-)

I see images in my head

I close my eyes and see it. I can see an image. I can see it in my head. Did I just imagine it?
I can see art, dream art. I can feel art coming. Images and images. They just appear.
It's like unconsciousness. I just blink for a second and another hundred images appear.
Like I didn't go any where to see all it to appear. I just see it.
I can see art, images and designs and movements just like sparks of fire or flashing bolts.
I don't know what causes it. When I even make something, sometimes I just don't know where it is coming from.
I sometimes don't know if it's my hand, my arm, my own finger tips. They just flow and move around.
I see the art, I see the images, I see it and my arm and hand just make it.
The images are still in my head. Just now another!
I see art images.
I see images in my head.
I must make. I must make art!

Art: Skull Shot

This is my Forth altered art piece.
Skulls, bullets and nails make up this piece. I thought I would make something more dark and horrifying-like.
These pieces are applied onto tiles, have a wall hanging clip on the back so they may be displayed on your wall.

This is for sale if anyone is interested.
Sale price- $50

Getting my act together

I am trying to get myself together to place it in my mind that "I am an artist".
So, I am getting that going and working on a few things. Selling myself is one of the first things on my agenda. So what I am going to do is use this blog as a means to sell and brag about myself. I am not really good at it at all. But with lots of practice I can turn my act around and become a great marketer.

I will get an illustrating-artist business card together soon as well.

So here it goes.


My skills in art are...
-Collage
-Mixed Media
-Altered Art
-Character development
-Basic Airbrushing
-Hand drawing
-Painting
-Paper making
-Photoshop
-Poster design
-Illustrations
-Face painting

I have really high tuned drawing abilities and amazing color design knowledge. I have been consistently told how amazing my work is and have impressed many and have been asked to sell my work from a audience.

I have designed one mural so far, but looking to provide more designs in the future.
I have helped with a number of murals in the Cincinnati area.

I am one of the host for Art at the Outlet at the City Gospel Mission. Serving homeless people to provide them a creative outlet. I have been part of the team for 3 years going on 4.

I also have done face painting for 8 block parties/business parties and was given a great approval rating.

I have volunteered for 3 years of my time to Cincinnati Art Festival with the youth arts.

My goals are to submit my art to magazines, galleries, advertisement companies, and to show case my art in cafe and bars.

I am beginning to believe with my original style, fluid flow and skilled abilities I can transform an audience and show what kind of artist I really am.

If anyone else would like to comment and give me thoughts about what you would like to see come out of my art. Please feel free to share.

Look forward to hearing and meeting you all.

Art: Altered Bee

This is my third altered art piece.
A monument of a bee. I am allergic to bees actually, it might even frighten me if I kept this on my wall.

This is for sale if anyone is interested.
Sale price- $45

Spreading the news about Studio-E

I really think today went very well with the Norwood High School Classes.

Today I met up with Laura to help promote Studio-e and the summer program for Drawing Stories. A lot of the talking was done by Laura, but I helped to present to the class some exercises for drawing Caricatures. Last night I went through my reference binder and drew a few people. It took about 12 drawings before it started getting back to me. I brought my favorite sketches I did last night to use as examples for the students.
The hard part really was some of the students not really interested in what Laura was talking about. But I had the easy job. I got to show off two of my recent sketch books that I color in with markers. The students loved them! I was really glad that it grabbed there attention to give them an idea of some skills set in place to see. I really need to get my teaching skills up. It is very intimidating to me though. I shouldn't be since they are like 12-18. But still find it hard to find the will to be completely confident at what I am saying and doing. But I really do think I do pretty well. So I am patting myself on the back for a first try with teaching in front of a class. I need to keep practicing on getting full attention from groups. That's what I really don't like. Less than 4 people I am ok, but 5-12 it gets really hard.

I am excited about the class going on for Studio-E this Summer, it will be really rewarding for me to have this experience and hopefully learn to challenge myself to taking on more teaching and mentoring roles.
It's going to take maybe a few more times to get my full confidence up though.

Art: Not Puffy

Dragon done in marker and pen. Was completed on June 18th.

By me Brennan Bradford 2009

Add my own words here

I am so lonely.

photo by unknown

Art Work Alive

I am looking. I looked this week and wrote down possiblities. I need exposure. That's what I mostly need. I also need a plan. A plan to say what is my goal, amount need to sell, material cost and where to take my art too. So, I am thinking about it. I just need to live it. I have looked at local artist blogs and they all seem to have a popular idea. "Live Art".
Not sure what that means right now, but I might find out. Some or maybe a lot of people say, "artist are so freaking crazy" I guess it's true. But I just think artist are better dreamers and have better ideas. That doesn't make them crazy does it? Ideas aren't crazy.
So I have 2,129 ideas written on paper. I better start making them come alive.

Art Journal: Mess

A couple pages from my art journal.

Titles- Mess.

Represent

I had a good time today at Norwood High School. Went to the High School's Art Fair and hung out with Laura and Lauren at the table for to represent St. E studio. We made Origami with a lot of the kids that walked with there parents. The kids had a lot of fun making hopping frogs, boxes, tulips and flipping birds. I think it was a great turn out. I think Laura got like 6 students including parents sign up for the St. Elizabeth's Art Foundation email news letter. I am excited to be a part of all happenings with Laura and St. E studio. I have high hopes that a lot of the students from the high school will show up to hang out, draw, paint and make art there. It's something I have been needing for years. I know it's not really about what I want, but I think it will be a great place for them just as much as it will be for me. Making art is something I feel that is a great way to connect with people. There is something comforting about making art with other people around to discuss life problems, and even inspiring ideas.
I am hoping the high school students that looked at my sketch books really do come to the Open Studio. With that said I am looking forward to this summer.

Art: Altered Fist

Just got this done a couple days ago. Showed a few friends it and they really liked it a lot. I'm still experimenting with objects and trying to keep my eyes open for found objects and things I can transform into art. So I am still playing.
I like the conversation I had with Jill about that's what artist do. The world is our playground.
Here is the piece I played with.
I regret to tell you that it's not for sale.

If you want to live..

Then the arm and hand reaches down and lifts you off the ground.

That's the scene people probably envision when it comes to that leap of faith. People want to have people reaching for them. Not all, but a gesture coming forward to let a person know that there is help here for them.
There are lot of people on the streets that are ignored that live a life style of terminal illness and a life style of a family background of abuse. For people who have lived such a way, you don't see the harm and hurt they have gone through, and you will NEVER truly understand because you didn't live that way. You want to believe you know, but it is quit simply you don't. No one ask for such a way to live. I lived such a life of seeing life being destructive, unloving, abusive, and fearful. I didn't ask for that. It's not the worse way to live either I suppose. I had shoes on my feet, clothes, water and food provided. So I didn't live like the man downtown. But I lived with a broken family like hundreds if not thousands of American living. Which shouldn't no longer be boxed in with just as an American living. After finding our culture has a lot of luxury than a lot of other countries.

Some, not all are called to be servants. Not all are called or made known that is what your purpose is in life. Even the same, you might not ask for it. I don't remember 10 years ago thinking I would be serving people. I don't remember praying to God I want to serve. I asked for new car, a wife and kids. I prayed for those kind of things, but what God called me to do was to serve. I believe it to be my true calling to help and listen to people who have stories to tell and feelings to share. I think for the rest of my life I will only praying help me to guide and help me to listen to the people God decides walks into me. Because it's clear to me this is what I am here for.

Thank you Lord for what you have bestowed upon me.

Lego Jesus

You can create your own resurrection scene with Legos.

Recope

These past few days I have been sick with sinus/allergy issues. Cincinnati is known for its allergy climate. "Only in Cincinnati" has been the quote for the past few days as well, from 3 different sources I heard say that. Funny.
Yeah, it does seem like Cincinnati tends to be the place where it's freezer coats one day, then shorts and tank top season the next day. "Only in Cincinnati".
I still managed to a few somethings while I had a pleasant mild resistant time to allergies for about 12 hours, but now I am back to yuck. It really is a strain on my productivity to make art and get my brain in the right places.
Tea, tea and more tea is my solution to counteracting the drainage.
Tomorrow I am hoping to look around and read at some cafes around Cincy. The rain and chillness might damper my hopes though. I am looking around for art opportunities again. If anyone has any ideas to share or something, please share with me.
I think I need to clean my apartment this week, all this dust might be is what is keeping me sick longer than I am use too. So that is something I need to tend too. Plus I like rearranging my own stuff.
I wonder if heaven has dust.

Bird Breath

I just loved this photo when I saw it. I could of came up with a ton comments
to say but stuck with just one.

"Morning bird breath"

photo by Robert Bukaty

This can't be it!

Today was good at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Great conversations with Lilly and Rob. Yeah. Really refreshing.

I just am consistently battle with my life or with American life style.

"this can't be it!"

"how can so many people be so acceptable to living like this?"

No answers.. just comments and a considerable amount of thoughts.
It was good to hear people are still active and poundering what to do.

this pencil has eyes

Saturday I went to the gathering for watching Art:21, where a few artist shared there thoughts about the few artist shown (Ann Hamilton, Roni Horn, and Richard Truttle). I really enjoyed the insights and questions that came up. I am more of a visual artist and tend examine details of artwork by looking at what kind of resources might have been used a lot more lately and came away from about the message the artist has developed. Saturday's gathering kind of brought me back to that state of mind of where art can be more than just a picture or object. I was inspired to try to be more aware of the story of the artist. I recognize that a lot of artist are devoted to art are very unique. I struggle with relating to some because I am not living for art and being art as I tend to view a real artist. I have days that I questions my own artistic abilities.
I am wanting to learn more about local artist and there own views. I am finding a few in the Cincinnati area I can probably write too and ask them questions, but find I should do my own research before asking anything. I think by talking to other artist I might understand myself as an artist better, and probably help shape me as an artist. This might be hard for me to do as I just tend to just build and make art more that learn more about creators and developers. I see a lot of artist as developers so I can remind myself that we are all potential artist. Maybe I am just not serious enough about art really. Maybe that is my real problem. But I think sometimes it is silly to put a crown on anyone head for something that shouldn't be graded. I like to make art because it's fun. But I am dabbing around with other materials and techniques so I can have a lot larger palette to make a bigger playground.
But it wouldn't hurt to discover artist to know what is surrounding me.