Artist in conversation: Brittany Canales
Brittany Canales uses printmaking, drawing, painting, sculptural, and digital processes in an attempt to visually describe her internal reflections and their relation to the outside world—typically through surrealist or illustrative imagery. The illustrative visuals in her work function as symbols for underlying ideas and emotions expressed (sometimes indirectly) in the work. Produced during this current life-altering era, her most recent body of work encapsulates the deeply personal, transformative feelings and conditions that have resulted from this shared moment of change. This work creates a surrealistic universe that is visually, experientially, and symbolically performative. Connected through shared imagery, Canales’s imaginative spaces create a mysterious, subtle surrealism that reinforces an artist’s ability to express narratives in unorthodox and obscured ways.
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What initially inspired you to become an artist, and how did you develop your unique style?
My desire to make art has always been instinctive. I honestly think I was born to do art. I don’t think there was ever a specific “a-ha” moment that made me realize I was an artist, I just always knew I was one since I can remember. My mom often jokes that I was born holding a crayon in my hand. She couldn’t stop me from coloring on our house walls as a toddler, so she eventually just gave in and taped drawing paper onto the walls for me to color on. Early on in my childhood, I became really inspired by the plethora of animated movies and cartoons I grew up watching, as well as the colorful video games I enjoyed playing.
My favorite games were Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Pokemon, and Spyro to name a few. The ability to immerse myself in imaginative, colorful and surrealistic worlds undoubtedly influenced the way I like to create now. As I continue to produce work and develop my creative methods, I take my foundational interests in imaginative imagery and implement them in ways that I enjoy. I don’t heavily fixate on trying to assimilate my work into a certain “style”. I simply continue to create work that resonates with me and let the recurring elements happen naturally!
In terms of subject matter, what themes or motifs do you frequently explore in your work, and what draws you to these topics?
The subject matters that I explore are dependent on the personal experiences I’m going through at the given time I’m creating something. Lately, I’m taking a deep interest in communicating ideas of transition, displacement, connection and metaphorical symbols. These ideas are especially interesting to me due to the constant transitional phases that I experience.
These phases range from being comfortable in my community to living in isolation, from losing close relationships that I thought would be permanent, to being physically displaced and having to frequently move to different living spaces every year, evolving from a student into an educator, and straddling between feelings of stability and uncertainty. I frequently explore these themes in my work by utilizing objects such as windows, doorways, stairs, and chainlinks—items that somehow allude to going “somewhere else” or being placed in a moment of inbetween or connection. There are other times where I combine such objects with elements from nature, particularly plants and insects. I mostly like to use natural elements and creatures as metaphors. Trees and foliage I use as metaphors for growth, for example, while I may center a beetle as a metaphor for strength or a praying mantis to symbolize stillness.
Can you elaborate on the connection between your artwork and your internal reflections? How do you translate these personal experiences into visual form through your chosen mediums of printmaking, drawing, painting, sculptural, and digital processes?
I utilize art and the act of creating as a means of communication and self reflection, and I enjoy having an artist’s autonomy over how I get to articulate my ideas. I may translate my ideas and feelings very obviously or indirectly. If I want to be more direct in my work, I may create a self portrait or use imagery that has a more direct interpretation. I typically enjoy doing this through my illustrative or painting mediums.
Conversely, if I want to express an idea more ambiguously, I tend to create mixed media or sculptural works that incorporate symbolic imagery such as mirrors, stairways, doorways, nature, and insects. I’ll frequently use such imagery to describe my mental and emotional disposition during memorable, conclusive, or even traumatic experiences.
Can you discuss a specific piece or project that challenged you as an artist, and how you overcome those challenges?
(Trigger Warning: Mentions of mental health, unaliving, and trauma)
Of course there will always be projects that challenge me physically or technically, but I think the most challenging works have been the ones that required great vulnerability. One work of mine in particular, titled “Leaps to Escapism”, was a big breakthrough project for me. I made this work after stopping a friend from attempting their suicide. It was a difficult time for us to experience and I hadn’t experienced that kind of trauma before.
I was flooded with a surplus of emotions and thoughts that I didn’t know how to navigate, so I made an artwork about it. “Leaps to Escapism” is a wooden sculpture that features a ladder that leads up to three different windows. The windows are painted blue, red, and green to represent my sadness, anger, and comfort in nature. Although it was an intense time in my life, tapping into that level of artistic vulnerability unlocked something both in myself and my work. Since then, I’ve placed a great emphasis on my art having deep personal meaning that goes beyond the visual.
How do you stay connected with other artists and keep up with new developments and trends in the art world?
As an artist, educator, and disability services person, I understand the art world by engaging with various artists with different backgrounds and abilities. I think it's important to acknowledge how vast and diverse art communities are by interacting with all types of artists. I often visit SAGE Studios in Austin where my friend Jackson, an artist with Autism, makes his work.
SAGE Studios is a studio and gallery space for Texas artists with disabilities. When I do visit SAGE, I like to chat with some of the other artists there to discuss and support their work. In addition to being an advocate for special needs artists, I am also a state certified art educator.
I have taught art to hundreds of students of varying ages throughout my teaching career. I believe that art educators play a large role in the art world by supporting our future artists and instilling confidence in them! I am also working alongside fellow artists to produce our second issue of Renowned Magazine! Renowned is an arts magazine that highlights and features all types of creative people from around the world. We are currently in the process of editing our next edition that has received over 200 submissions!
Like many current artists do, we promoted the magazine and did community outreach through social media. I consider social media as a means for staying connected with the art world and redefining what we consider the art world to be. As the saying goes, “never beg for a seat when you can build your own table.” If I think the art world seems intangible or out of reach, I know that I can always produce new projects and artistic relationships on my own!
How do you incorporate feedback from critics and audiences into your artistic practice, and how do you balance this feedback with your own artistic intuition?
I don’t think there’s any feedback or criticism that isn’t a byproduct of personal bias. With that being said, I can acknowledge that any response to feedback is also a byproduct of personal bias. I’m an open minded person and I’m willing to intake people’s interpretations and opinions about my art because, well, that’s what art is for–to prompt conversation! Art doesn’t exist to please everyone because it's simply not possible and that’s okay!
I can digest whatever feedback I consider to be valuable advice and leave what doesn’t resonate behind. At the end of the day the only thing I can do is continuously strive to be better and do work that I'm passionate about!
How do you stay motivated and inspired despite any setbacks or creative blocks you may encounter?
I think what separates an artist from a creative is that art is not a choice for artists. An artist has to create. Even when I go through really busy periods and don’t have as much time to make something, I always go back to creating at some point. I have to make art for my own sense of self and mental regulation. If I go too long without creating, I feel as though something is missing internally.
My inspiration is everlasting and sourced at my core. Even if I do experience setbacks or times of hiatus, I’m still an artist. A great portion of an artist’s life is spent intaking and interpreting life as it comes. Periods of production can’t happen without periods of inspiration!
How do you feel about exhibiting your artworks with The Holy Art Gallery?
Big slay!!!!! I’m so excited to be exhibiting with The Holy Art Gallery alongside other amazing artists! As an emerging artist from Texas, you can imagine how stoked I was to be exhibiting with y’all in London! Weeeee! What’s even more exciting is that this is my first international show! There will be many more to come, too, I’m claiming it!
Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals and aspirations as an artist, and how do you plan to achieve them?
As my art career continues, I hope that I’ll be able to devote a great portion of my time to creating and sharing my art with the world! I want my art to reach wider audiences so I can share my ideas and inspire other artists to believe in themselves! I plan to be consistent with exhibiting and showing my art to the public as well as collaborating with and uplifting other artists. I look forward to achieving longevity by doing so!