An Interview With The Artist: Brenda Thebeau (and blogoversary winner announced!)

Thanks so much to all of you for your sweet and thoughtful comments on my blogoversary post (and really ALL of your comments on each of my posts). You all are just plain awesome. I wish I could give each of you something. I have the winner (randomly chosen by my son) but I'm not going to announce it until the end of this blog post so you can focus on this amazing artist interview I have today. Seriously, I have been so excited to share her with you! Her paintings and posts leave me feeling inspired, empowered and motivated. And I know you will feel the same. You can visit her blog by clicking here. Let's begin.  :)

This is Bren. She is a mixed media abstract artist and she is made of awesome. :)

Bren, you truly are an amazing artist. Your abstract pieces always evoke an emotional reaction when I see one, I can only imagine how it really feels to see one in real life! I’d love to get to know you a little better. Could you tell us a little about your path to becoming the artist you are today?

You're too kind, but I appreciate knowing that my art communicates, it's a thrilling and humbling feeling. About three years ago, I began to toy with the idea of making my life practice of journaling more visual in nature. As I searched the internet for some inspiration I found a whole community of Art Journaling bloggers! I began to pick up on techniques and found that working with acrylics and ink in my journal was just my fit. After exploring all manner of ideas through my journal, I began to wonder if what I was doing on paper would translate onto canvas. It was liberating and before I knew it I was off and running into the world of abstractions and mixed-media.  Liberating is a word that always comes to mind when I look at your art. :)

'Expanse'

3-panel 12 x 16" = 16 x 36"

acrylic and mixed media on canvas by Bren Thebeau 

You post new work regularly to your blog, which I think is very impressive. It’s not easy to be consistent about your work. What inspires you to create your art and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?

Maybe it's because I've only been at this for a couple of years, but I don't worry about trying to be consistent, I just follow my inner rhythm. Mind you life and health issues can really mess with my rhythm! I struggle with rather debilitating fibromyalgia so to set a goal of painting daily would just lead to defeat. Instead I've learned to hold loosely to plans and make the most of the moments and times I have. While I'm working on a piece, the process is working on me. It's a mystery to me but at the darkest of times the process of creating somehow holds and releases the things I have no words for, or way of understanding. Working on my art connects me to myself and my world in all its layers and that keeps me motivated. Well said Bren. I just love that. :)

Like I said before, you create some absolutely, stunning, jaw-dropping abstract pieces. What is it that draws you to paint abstractly? What is your thought process before you create each piece?

All too often there is little conscious though that goes into a piece to begin with, but as I work I begin to realize that something has been bubbling away on a subconscious level and out it comes. I have learned so much about myself, gained insight and I hope some wisdom as the process exposes and helps me explore in ways that other wise would have taken longer to see or realize. Rather than having a visual of what I want a piece to look like, I will have a desire to work with certain mediums, play with some new idea or colour palette. Exploratory! However, when working with the Gorilla Glue, I do take some time to consider a basic design, only because once you get that glue down it doesn't come back up again! As for choosing to paint abstractly, I love the wide open feeling I have when creating abstracts, I can play and explore without a worry of ruining what came before. Layer upon layer of explorations. And I confess, abstract choose me, because I have little talent when it comes to painting realistically! I leave that in the talented hands of people like yourself. You have loads of talent my friend! I could never create what you do. But you are too kind Bren. Thank you. :) 

'Unbroken'

24 x 24" acrylic and mixed media on gallery wrap canvas

by Bren Thebeau

Life as an artist is pretty awesome. But it’s not all glitter and rainbows. What do you think is the best part of being an artist? And the worst part?

I'm not sure I've been at this long enough to qualify in answering these, give me a few years and maybe I'll have something worth saying! :)

What has been your biggest challenge as an artist so far?

Personally, it has been getting my art out there, taking the plunge and putting my art on display. That didn't and doesn't come easily. I'm not an outgoing person and frankly it's still a wonder to me that others have liked what I've created! It has been the biggest personal challenge and the most amazingly, positive one all at the same time!

What is one thing you want viewers of your paintings to walk away with?

Do you know, it is such a humbling experience to have someone view your work and to be moved by it. I hope they feel the power of the colours, sense the movement of the design and find some part of themselves being expressed there on the canvas.

'Joyous Struggle'

acrylic and mixed media on canvas by Bren Thebeau

Let’s talk about artistic influences. Who has been your biggest source of inspiration? Dead or alive.

I love the ladies of 'Experimental Abstract' like Maxine Masterfield, Pat Dews, Virginia Cobb, Jan Sitts, Suzy Andron & Mary Todd Beam. Their work inspires me endlessly.

What do you like to do when you’re not painting?

I love being with my family. Hanging out with my Grand-daughters, maybe playing in paint, enjoying my adult children, talking up a storm with my sisters and Mum. And any time spent with my husband of 35 years, is a great day in my books.   :)


What are some of your goals for the future?

I'm not a goal oriented person, although I've tried. I tend to work from a big picture perspective. I do keep my To Do List handy though, couldn't get along without it. There is a phrase that I have adapted, something I learned from working on one of my abstracts of a Joshua Tree. 'Bloom then branch.' According to the Wikipedia the Joshua tree usually doesn't branch until after it blooms. I knew right then, I was to just focus on letting my art fully bloom, and the branching would come naturally. I'm finding it to be so. If I can continue to grow as an artist, improving, expanding, exploring and remain mindful and open to opportunities to branch I figure I'm doing pretty well. 

And finally what tips or words of advice do you have for beginning artists?

Begin! Let the process take you, on an inner journey that leads to a profoundly, powerful experience in artistic expression. Trust your own creative voice, you have one, never doubt it. Nothing will derail you quicker than substituting 'other' voices for your own. Be you, you are an original! Those are some wonderful and wise words. And so true!

 

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas by Bren Thebeau

SPEED ROUND!

  Dawn or dusk?  Dusk by nature

  Sweet or salty? Mmm, salty.

  Winter or Summer? Cool is better :-)

  Zombies or Unicorns? Why yes this is an important question. Answer please :)  Unicorns if you please. :))))

  Dine in or eat out? Eat Out, cause then I don't have to cook! Huzzah! :)

  All-time favorite book? One! Just not possible.

  All-time favorite movie? Brave Heart, Dances With Wolves

  All-time favorite food? Lays Potato chips Yum!

  All-time favorite song? Again, only one! I'm afraid I like a random and varied music selection

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas by Bren Thebeau

Thank you so, SO much Bren! This has been such an inspiring interview, I now feel like rushing to my studio! And it's one I know I will be back to read over and over again. :) Once again you can visit Bren's blog esynergy to follow along with her on her art journey.  

And now to announce the winner. . . Last night I wrote all your names on little slips of paper and put them in a hat (because we're high tech like that around here) and had my son draw one of them out. And this is who it is. . .

Sandra Busby you are the winner of my print!! I'll be sending you an email shortly with the details. Thanks again to everybody for entering, I wish I could give each one of you something. *hugs to all* and Huzzah!! This is not going to be the only giveaway for this year, I have a few more tricks up my sleeve so be on the lookout for them!

See you Thursday everybody! :)