I make art from things I’m drawn to and have a hard time leaving alone: old photographs, worn denim, torn paper, and objects that have already had a life. I cut, paint, layer, and rearrange them until they start to feel like something of my own. Memory, identity, and starting over come up a lot.
I like being able to see how something was made. The edge of the paper, a brushstroke, a bit of wear. Those details matter to me. Sometimes I know where a piece is going. Other times I move things around until something clicks, then try to leave it alone. That last part takes practice.
Pop art, folk art, and vintage Americana influence how I work. I’m drawn to traditional images and the confidence they carry, but I like introducing something that unsettles them a little. A strange pairing, a delicate detail, a joke you might miss at first. Humor gives me a way into subjects that can be personal or difficult to say plainly.
I want the work to give you something to spend time with. You might recognize an image, notice a material, or find your own meaning in the combination. I bring my history to it. You’ll bring yours. I like leaving room for that.
Work that invites a second look.
And perhaps a third.
— Brier Collins
SEE THE WORK