Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brandon Barr. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Brandon, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
Pursuing a career in visual arts is inherently risky and it can often be difficult given the financial demands of today. With student loans, interest rates and inflation acting as a constant pressure point, it causes many people to break and abandon this profession all together. There is also this myth that the artist has to pour every ounce of their life into their practice in order to be successful. In regards to the work you make, sure this can be true, but unfortunately in America, this means you are then having to ignore things like basic health care, student loan bills, rising rent etc. which can only be sustained via a full-time or multiple part-time jobs. It’s unrealistic and the myth that the artist needs to live in a dark shack to produce their masterpiece needs to end. I have made a choice recently that could be seen as a risk. I moved back to my hometown in St. Louis, MO from Los Angeles. I lived in L.A. for 8yrs and it was often a weekly struggle. The skyrocketing rent, unobtainable housing market, price of gas etc. did it’s toll. After the peak of the pandemic and a long time to reflect, I had a realization that I no longer wanted to work my life around art. That is an insanely hard thing to do anymore. Instead, I made the decision to build art into my life. This meant developing a studio practice that allowed me to work from home, have a full-time job and help support my family. To work from home I needed to first, buy a home. This could not happen in L.A. so first step was finding my exit from this city. So, I applied for a full-time job back in St. Louis and it ended up being one of the most “correct feeling” decisions I have made in a long time. I loved aspects of California from the weather to the awesome people I met while I was there, but once I set this new goal it was clear that it could not happen in L.A. This also angered me. That the cities that beckon creatives who are pursuing incredibly low paying jobs also happen to be the most expensive cities in the country. Eventually I just said “f$%@ that” and started to make a whole shift in my perspective all the way down to the core of what I wanted in life. To get that you have to free yourself from what you THINK you should be doing to pursue some profession and redirect yourself onto a path of what you truly want. For me that was having an at home studio that allows me to step in and create whenever I have a spare moment. Also, to live in place that is a little bit quieter, affordable and close to family.
At first leaving L.A. was tough. I became really close to family members there and dreaded leaving them every day. I also had this small lingering concern that I was giving up on some dream of “making it” as an artist by leaving this core art hub of the world, but digital media has become the main connection for much of the art world now. This should allow artists to live wherever they need to in order to continue making their work. I think there is a shift happening and more artists are taking that step. L.A. and New York are beautiful cities and I often miss them, but there should be more choices for those needing a change of pace, looking to buy a home or getting a job. Although not for everyone, St. Louis provided this change for me. The moment I put the car in park and saw my family waving, I knew I had taken the correct risk.
Brandon, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I have been a visual artist for a little over 18yrs now. I received my undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Arts at the Kansas City Art Institute and a master in Electronic Integrated Arts at Alfred University. I have lived all over the U.S. and made art all along the way. My studio practice is mixed media and has been anything from interactive video installations to painting on canvas. Currently, I have been developing paintings that look at the rise, fall and resilience of the social/physical landscape of the Midwest. From the green grass to the native flowers and from the urban environments to rural two lane roads. This work takes on a familiar yet abstract visual representation. I am also continuing to work on my “Flash Painting” series that allows viewers to interact with the paintings via the camera flash on their cell phones. This reveals translucent text on a colorful background created from found imagery on social media.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had a moment in the past year where I changed my mindset when I enter the studio. My work in the past often involved a lot prep work or manufacturing of materials for sculptures etc. When I moved back to St. Louis and built my studio I also starting making new that fit my current lifestyle. I started painting again which I haven’t done in years and also tried to foster this space of freedom within the studio. I wanted a space I could have a drink, dance and make a mess. It has been enjoyable and I look forward to what develops!
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
First off I would be making sure art is a part of early education. Many art programs were cut at my old high school (and many others across the country) and I have worked with others that do not have an art program at all. Funding for the arts has to be an integral part of education. It teaches students how to solve abstract problems and discover new things and skills about themselves. Next, I would say providing more support for practicing artists through various funding programs. There is an organization called the St. Louis Art Place Initiative in STL that provides affordable housing for artists and I thought this was such an amazing and needed thing. Sooooo more of that please!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brandonhbarr.com
- Instagram: @brandonhbarrstudio