We were lucky to catch up with Brittany Anne Baum recently and have shared our conversation below.
Brittany Anne , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
Being able to be an artist full time has allowed me to have freedom I honestly never thought I’d be able to have. For as long as I could remember, I always felt my unhappiest whenever I felt limited or restrained from doing what I wanted. For me, freedom is currency. Freedom brings me the upmost joy, so being able to do this for a living has made me extremely grateful.
I’ve had plenty of “regular jobs” through out my life. My first job was at age 16 working at a fast food joint! I remember thinking, even back then how restricted I felt because of rules and time clocks. That feeling was always felt even in my adulthood, however being able to rely on a steady paycheck is what always kept me going. So, when I’m not making as many art sales, or art grants are falling through, those are the times where I do think about going back to “work”. Even as recently as a few months ago! That thought always comes up when I feel like things are slow and bills are piling up.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I was born in Camden New Jersey, but raised in Orlando, Florida where my love for drawing and painting blossomed. In 2015, I went through a terrible breakup which caused me to lose confidence in myself as a woman, negatively impacting my self esteem. Being in this dark place forced me to seek outlets that gave me instant gratification and creating was that outlet for me. I started to create these women within these specific worlds in order to escape my current reality. I had an intense urge to explore the creation of these imaginary subjects in unique compositions, much like I did playing with Barbie’s as a little girl. It gave me the same type of joy and satisfaction as playing with dolls, and I looked at these figures as these ultra fabulous and extremely confident extensions of myself.
Over the years, creating these figures gained traction with art lovers and collectors and even created a sense of familiarity with women who had a similar story and background as mine. These pieces that I create I think challenges perceptions of beauty, identity, and representation, inviting viewers and collectors to engage with these “imaginary” women and perhaps find echoes of their own narratives within these painted worlds. I am so proud of the following that I’ve established organically over the years, and the loyal collectors who support me through out this journey.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I remember watching a video where someone was referring to other artists as competition. It kind of made my skin crawl! Although, in certain situations it might be seen as another artist being your competitor, in most cases they are not. One thing I had to painfully unlearn within this journey is to never compare yourself to other creatives, and to always remember that your unique story is just that, YOUR STORY. Every artist is on a different path, and every artist is on different levels in their careers, mainly due to their own hard work. Do the work, and you’ll soon get there as well! Comparison is the theft of joy.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Community engagement as well as financially supporting artists through grants, collecting and commissions will continue to support living artists. It’s been that way for centuries and will be this way for centuries to come. Throughout history, art has been huge representation of human existence. Being properly supported by society will keep this ancient practice alive and well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.BrittanyAnneBaum.com
- Instagram: @ZolaArtFactory
