We recently connected with Bronle Crosby and have shared our conversation below.

Bronle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Bronle, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Bronle Crosby is a painter of natural world realism with underlying abstract design. Rather than distraction, Crosby seeks to provide focus: her goal is to invoke calm and contemplation via serene paintings that pull the viewer in to the universal quiet of nature: rain, birds, landscape, water, and natural transitions. She paints close-up corners of the big picture of life, in rich subtle colors and painterly detail. Humans are included: her portraits capture the personality and essence of her subjects with the same level of sensitivity and craft as all her works.

When not in her studio creating new works, Crosby teaches painting and drawing, and is on the board of ArtReach San Diego.

Crosby’s work is included in many public collections, including The City of Coronado, Whitman College, and Rancho Valencia Resort. Her paintings are also held in private collections worldwide. In addition to the artist’s solo shows, Crosby’s work has been included in several museum exhibitions throughout California.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

At studio open houses, art fairs, gallery openings, museum shows, and meet-and-greets of all kinds, it has become clear to me that there is widespread interest in what makes creativity click. How do you do that? What does it mean? How long did it take you to learn to do that? What made you think to depict that? All these topics are on the surface at such events, and it seems that people are hungry for connection, for understanding, for motivation and inspiration about their own creative powers and urges. There is something personal and heartfelt about expressing oneself and “putting yourself out there,” that people are drawn to it and in a little awe of the audacity of doing such a thing. It is an instantaneous “meaningful” conversation waiting to happen. So much in life is on the surface– a glancing blow, a ship passing in the night; this art talk is from the heart by nature. We all know that speaking from the heart about things that matter is one of the hardest things there is, and yet…we hunger for it. We seek it out. And, let’s face it, it’s easier to have that sort of conversation with a stranger than with our nearest and dearest. It is at once a heart and soul connection, and a mere encounter. But in any event, it is the soul of interacting with others as an artist.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Perhaps it sounds egocentric. Or insular… but maybe the most interesting thing I have learned is that it is necessary to follow one’s own sense of truth and heartfelt need. Particularly as a woman of a certain age, I was led to believe that life was about service, about others’ needs, about pleasing people and letting oneself be second. But in art-making, that will not do. If one is to speak to others, no matter the medium, one must be true to the center of one’s being. If you do not hear or listen to the inner voice in your art and in your life, then what is the point? You are not communicating, you are demonstrating. You are not connecting, you are pushing. You are not sharing, you are presenting. At a certain point, it is incumbent upon us all to search inside and to learn to speak from the heart and soul. Not always pretty or comfortable; not always without jolts and confessions. But almost everyone responds to truthfulness, especially from the arts. We all know the difference. And recognizing and expressing one’s creativity and artistic self is the most raw and open of the self lessons I know.

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