Mixed media artist Brendan Parker, a totally self-taught artist primarily working with epoxy resin to create unique and one-ofa-kind pieces, says after 15 years of painting, he still feels there’s “no end game” when he steps into the studio. He typically goes in with an open mind and views the artistic process as a way to blow off steam, get out of his mind so to speak, and views the artistic process as meditative. “Being able to go into the studio without an idea, start throwing paint around, and really just let go, is where it starts for me.”
Lately though, Parker says he’s been in a mode where he’s wanting to branch out and try new things with his art. He’s got some new brushwork and plexiglass pieces that he’s been working on, as well as backlit sculptures. “I’m always working on elevating the work that I do. The process kind of stays the same, though, I try not to premeditate what I’m doing.” Admittedly, it doesn’t always work out that way, but he feels that’s when his best work is created.
One of the newer concepts that he’s been working on, is getting into doing brushwork on resin. “It’s something I had previously hesitated to do because I didn’t want people to see what I saw in the
work, and instead leave my art broad and open to interpretation.” Lately, he’s been wanting to change things up so he’s started laying plexiglass over his paintings and attaching it with standoff hardware and then doing brushwork on the plexiglass, resulting in a dimensional effect to the final piece.
Another concept that he’s been getting into creating are his backlit wall sculptures using upcycled material. “All the stuff that spills off the sides of the canvas, I upcycle and reshape with a torch and adhere it to plexiglass. It has a lot of raised texture, a lot of movement, and then I backlight it with LED panel.” With the added texture, these types of pieces can be very expressive and seem to “jump off the wall” making a physical statement.
Although he really enjoys making them, Parker says the backlit sculptures are custom and take him longer to make. He only makes a few of these a year, compared to the number of paintings he does. “They do take more time. I’ve got to conceptualize what I’m doing and premeditate certain parameters of the project, such as how I’m going to attach the piece to the wall, how to make the plexiglass adhere to the frame, etc… they’re all kind of like an engineering feat as well, depending on how they’re installed.”
The reproduction side of the business is also something that Parker is breaking into. He has started selling acrylic prints recently that look very much like the originals. He says they’re basically print on acrylic and the only difference is the lack of texture. “Being able to allow some of my fans and those who are attracted to my work, to be able to afford the work, is always a good thing.” There’s also a lot of variation you can get out of the acrylic prints, according to Parker. For example, originals can be cropped and resized and colors can be digitally tweaked. If someone really likes a specific piece of his art, but it doesn’t work for their wallspace, that’s easily fixed. In other words, colors and size can be changed with Parker’s original pieces, while keeping the movement and integrity of the piece.
Parker loves doing custom work and he does a lot of it. Typically when he has a client that he knows is interested in his work he does a consultation and will make them a custom piece, gaining inspiration from the space, the wall, the whole setting, and the vibe the client is trying to go for. “Where many artists don’t really like to do custom work, I really thrive on it. I can’t speak for everybody, but a lot of artists think custom work boxes them in or limits them, it’s actually quite freeing to be able to just go in and see a blank wall and make something specific for that space – a bespoke work.”
Parker’s work can be found all along 30A including Hotel Effie in San Destin, which is a 250-room boutique hotel where they display about 260 pieces of his work. Brendan Parker’s work can be found on his website and at his new showroom:
Brendan Parker Art
1000 Administration Drive | Building 400
Miramar Beach, FL 32550
www.brendanparkerart.com
You’ll also find his work at the following area merchants:
Beau Interiors | Duce & Company
Fusion Art Glass | Sugar Beach Interiors
