Today we’re highlighting the work of Texas-based artist Brittany Ellis.
“When I moved back to Houston, the environment I once knew was different than how I remembered. Places seemed smaller, less vibrant, and the people I knew were different. The memory of my home and the reality of my home were different recollections of the same place separated by time. The Rainbow Series documents collective experiences that resonate with childhood juxtaposed with adulthood. Deconstructing and combining 2D and 3D elements shows the different facets of memory and reality. The flatness of the 2D elements reflects a childhood-like spirit and the memories of the places in youthhood, while the 3D elements reflect reality being a tangible construct of the present. Within this series, compositions are created using the subconscious mind instinctually.
There isn’t an initial sketch or idea that exists before the creation process. Each mark of ink is forever embedded within the work just as our memories are engraved in the past. Artworks created on paper are created in a different manner than acrylic works. With paperwork’s the rainbow focal point is established first using pastels followed by a secondary focal point, then the background color, and ink doodles. In acrylic works, layers are built from the background to the glass bead gel in the foreground layer by layer. The multiple layers of acrylic represent the fleeting aspects of memory. With each layer, details are lost and pushed back as they are in our long-term memory. Although key details of our youth are remembered various aspects of those memories are forgotten. Places, people, and even our memory of subject matters change.
The concept of Houston as home was a notion I had to learn to appreciate with time. Home is bringing life to the nostalgic memories, feelings, and values of those who've nourished us into the adults we are today.”
Artist Biography:
Brittany lives and works in Houston, Texas where she was born and raised. She obtained her BFA in 2021 from the Academy of Art University. Her background as a painter, photographer, and innovator inspires her multifaceted compositions. Combining painting, unconventional objects, and sculpture she creates narratives based on memories exploring adolescent youth. Brittany's artworks strive to stand as a reminder to enjoy moments of the present instead of chasing fleeting moments of nostalgia of the past. Brittany’s work is included in the permanent collection of the International Collage Museum. Notable exhibitions include The Contemporary Art Museum Houston: Contents under pressure exhibit (2009), The De Young Museum: New Generations Matter Exhibit (2012), Arts Benicia: Fragments The art of collage and assemblage Exhibition (2015), Art Museum of South Texas (2020).
