Born in New York City, NY in 1959, Bradford Brenner moved to La Jolla, CA at the age of seven. Art entered his early childhood consciousness in the form of visits to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), and many hours spent playing on that staple in any child’s toy collection – the Etch-A-Sketch. For someone who received an “F” in art in the third grade, Brad has achieved remarkable success and renown for his paintings.

Brad received his education from both UCSB (University of California, Santa Barbara) and San Diego State, and is primarily self-taught as an artist. Prior to becoming a professional artist, Brad worked in medical sales and moonlighted as a guitarist/songwriter. Time spent in the “day job” equipped Brad with valuable and highly relevant skills in sales and marketing. His music career connected him to feeling and emotion as they related to the arts in general.

Receiving creative inspiration and ideas intuitively, his emotive imagery and loose brushstrokes reflect an instinctive and intuitive spirit. Collectors are drawn to the freedom and looseness that represents his unique style, and highly spontaneous rich, multi-layered works. Brenner draws upon a wealth of artistic influences, including his passion for and study of the Old Masters, the Impressionists, the Tonalists and the Abstract Expressionists to create a style that is uniquely his own.

Brad finds that his art and his everyday life “…are completely intertwined.” His philosophy about art (and life) is that they are defined and expressed by both relationships and feelings. His artist statement creates a clear picture of this concept:“Art, for me, is about creating a feeling that can be shared. Art is about relationships. The relationships between light and dark, color and non-color, warm and cool, form and formless. Most importantly, art is about the relationship between the viewer and the painting. There is a universal feeling that I try to get to in each piece, and I use that feeling or emotion as the barometer to know when I should put the brushes down. As with the interconnectedness of individual components of a work of art, there is an interconnectedness between people that binds them to something greater than themselves. It is the wholeness of life. It is that feeling that I?m trying to capture and reconnect to both myself and the viewer.”

A self-described Expressionist, Brad works primarily with acrylic paints, because he finds that the rapid drying speed meshes seamlessly with the spontaneous nature of his work. When time allows, he plans to dabble more in oils, encaustics and mixed media techniques in the near future.

Brad’s works have been showcased in numerous solo and group exhibitions, and appear in many public and private collections. His works have also been featured in publications such as Art News, Art Business News, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, San Diego Home and Garden, Decor and Style, Art Scene, South Coast Style, Phoenix Home and Garden, Ranch & Coast Magazine; and have been the subject of many articles and editorials. Most recently appearing on the cover of The Atlanta Museums and Galleries Guide. Brenner has also been chosen to participate in the upcoming 2007 Florence Biennial in Italy.

When Brad is not painting in his studio, he enjoys playing tennis, golf, and spending time with his family. He is currently involved with A.R.T.S. (A Reason To Survive), a charity that benefits terminally ill children through art. In addition, Brad donates his paintings for fundraising events to benefit numerous charities.

Quote

“Art, for me, is about creating a feeling that can be shared. Art is about relationships. The relationships between light and dark, color and non-color, warm and cool, form and formless.”

Personal Statement

“Art, for me, is about creating a feeling that can be shared. Art is about relationships. The relationships between light and dark, color and non-color, warm and cool, form and formless. Most importantly, art is about the relationship between the viewer and the painting. There is a universal feeling that I try to get to in each piece, and I use that feeling or emotion as the barometer to know when I should put the brushes down. As with the interconnectedness of individual components of a work of art, there is an interconnectedness between people that binds them to something greater than themselves. It is the wholeness of life. It is that feeling that I?m trying to capture and reconnect to both myself and the viewer.”

Fun Fact

Bradford Brenner’s great-great-great-Uncle was Victor Brenner, a noted medallion and coin sculptor from Lithuania who designed the 1909 Lincoln head penny, which commemorated the centennial birth day of Abraham Lincoln. It was the first penny to have the wording “In God We Trust”.