ART OF ADRIENNE

While I’ve known the cyan blue haired artist Bran Libby for a few years personally, I haven’t seen his art until last weekend (unless you can call Karaoke featuring multiple costume changes a form of art.. which I think you can). So actually, I haven’t seen many of his paintings until last weekend. They were a mesmerizing vivid array of what looks like the bad-ass painted expressionist version of 80’s school photo backgrounds. This is how a dumb person describes art–good thing I’m doing an art blog!

Bran Libby has his own clearly defined style reminiscent of Frank Stella, Piet Mondrian, Jackson Pollock, and the De Stijl movement. However, Libby brings something completely new to the table by combining disarray and order. It’s no surprise who his favorite artists are. “I don’t know that I can really play favorites here, but Kandinsky, De Kooning, Mondrian all get honorable mentions. On a different plane, I enjoy the photography and imagery Anton Corbijn lent to a number of Depeche Mode videos and album sleeves.”–so I think you know what he’s often singing at karaoke.

**DISCLAIMER** Bran does not appreciate being compared in any way to Jackson Pollock so I decided to edit this down from what I originally wrote. This is a really good place for me to mention that while I’ve always loved and appreciated art since childhood, I am not 100% familiar with the fine art world. Yes, I took Art History 101 at Columbia College Chicago–but I went to college to study animation so I actually know more about Gertie the Dinosaur and Eadweard Muybridge. Here Bran schools me “As to the text- It reads well, but I try to avoid self referencing Pollock. A lot of assumptions come from dropping that name in particular. Also, not sure my work draws very much on Cubist theory.” I’m going to be the worst art blogger EVER!

I’m gaga for bright eye-singeing colors, and Libby really chooses pleasingly saturated palettes for someone with tastes similar to mine. How does he channel his inspiration to make these works? “It’s a process very heavy on expressionist influence. I very seldom know what the painting will be, apart from the color palette, the canvas size, and the general mindset with which I apply the first strokes (or equivalent). If I’m feeling something simple or broad, it’ll come across in larger sections of color, sweeping strokes and detailing with primary color markers. Something more multidimensional or personally frustrating may involve a lot of layering with tape (creating the appearance of multiple scenes being haphazardly spliced into one another). If I’m feeling super manic or otherwise agitated, I’ll forego brushes and apply with palette knives, yarn, percussive non-art implements, etc.”

Libby uses his current frame of mind to structure his paintings. It’s no surprise as many artists create their greatest works in times of stress. “A few of my more recent creative periods co-occurred with times in my life of extreme poverty or mental unrest. Typically if I felt life was falling apart, I could channel that into a painting and feel somewhat satisfied in the suffering as a rite of passage. However blasé or pretentious an artist that makes me sound; a lot of the work that has gotten praise or actually generated income for me was born as a direct result of me wanting to kill myself.” Please stay with us, Bran! Your art is as wonderful and chaotic as you seem to be and will most likely inspire more people in the future!

How does Libby actually physically craft his art? How does he achieve this constructed form of chaos? Rigidity with fluidity? “I adore sharpies for versatility, and they’re about the closest to illustration I ever see myself getting. Acrylic paints are a mainstay, as is generic beige 3M masking tape (the blue painting tape bothers me for a number of reasons). My favorite applicator is a well-stained, crusty broadhead palette knife.” Hmm.. I use blue painter’s tape all the time so maybe I should give regular ol’ masking tape a go? 

Through trial and error, Libby’s work has developed over time. There’s been mistakes and throwaways. Well, paint-overs because why waste a canvas when you’re a starving artist? One of the pieces he was most proud of was one that received recognition from his father. “I did a black and white piece on foam board depicting an unassuming shadow form and it’s small, tribble-like companion in a natural scene. It wasn’t terribly impressive by composition standards, but I channeled a lot of feeling into the figures, and introduced new application techniques into the background that made it a landmark experience for me. I showed it at one art show and it got a couple of sale offers, but my dad pulled me aside at the show and asked me not to sell it, that he’d beat any price. I gave it to him as a gift, and it’s the first piece of my art (as an adult creative) that I remember ever seeing him display prominently. Kind of a proud moment for me.” **wipes tears from eye**

Bran has been developing as an artist since he was a young lad in Dansville, Michigan. “I’ve lived in Dansville most of my life, and have lived in several locations in greater Lansing in my adult years. As a kid, Dansville was sort of a place that I wanted to escape (a little too ‘country’ for my taste), and music/art were sort of my way to do that. Lansing, particularly the river trail and Old Town, provided me with a number of inspirations (& surfaces) on which to practice new techniques in recent years.” While time in Dansville allowed Bran to express himself through art, he is creatively thriving in Lansing due to the current collaborative artistic trends in the area. “I think that availability of kindred creatives doing high-profile things really encourages a lot of experimental co-productivity.” I can vouch for that. I just saw many of his works at the Cedar Street Art Collective’s Pop Up Art Market. One of his paintings was a collab with local artist Lebaron Rogers.

Local appearances by Libby and his artwork are happening this year, but the dates are currently in flux. He updates these whereabouts and events on his art page, Facebook.com/BranLibbyArt. If you appreciate his art as much as I do and would like to acquire some, he is working on an Etsy page that will be announced via Facebook soon! Bran Libby would personally like to leave you with this little bit of inspiration: “With a lot of unrest in the current world/political environment, it’s easy to get discouraged or to feel hopeless/apathetic. Just remember that historically, more art has been created in times of conflict than peace. If you feel the world is unjust, you’ve got the tools and connections in the present age to get your perspective across to pretty much anyone in the world. Use it.”

How will YOU use it?