Artist Interview with Brian (AKA Bro_builder)

Brian came in the hobby much like Gandalf did to Frodo. He’s talented, kind, and a joy to be around not to mention the plethora of knowledge he holds.

(He’s also a wizard, but don’t tell anyone. We aren’t supposed to talk about that. The wizard guild doesn’t like it.)

I had the luck of interviewing him a while back and slowly putting this together when I have access to a computer. It’s delayed longer than I had liked it to be. However, this interview was a hoot and I hope y’all enjoy it as much as I did!

Q: Where are you from and how does that affect your work?

A: That is an interesting question and it could get a lot of different answers. Let’s see, I’m a midwest kid. I’m from a working-class family and I was born in the very late seventies and grew up in the eighties and nineties.

There was a modeling boom back then and that’s what first got me started in scale modeling and Lego and all that other creative stuff. I was a creative kid and it was a good time for creative kids. I think that the fact that there was as much available at the time affects the way I work now because not only were there these cool mediums to experiment in.

There was also a lot of very creative and interesting intellectual property like the Macross stuff that I was introduced to when I was like six or seven by one of my older cousins. The comic books and Lego then getting into scale modeling, stuff like that.

Figuring out that that was a good avenue for me for a creative outlet. I still paint, draw, design, build furniture, and all that stuff I learned how to do because I really like to build things and I’m really interested in… maybe that’s what it is. That’s what spawned or spurred my interest in inner workings or how stuff is made.

I’m interested in the way things work. I also like to design stuff. I like to stare at the sky and figure out what clouds look like and imagine how those clouds would look like over a castle in the distance (with some knights and a dragon). Brandywine painting style.

To get a little deeper, I would like to try and pull more of that into the modeling. I’ve talked about that a little here or there but I think that would be more fun to meld those cool fantasy elements. You know the tertiary things that influenced me into realistic stuff.

Q: Where do you find inspiration?

A: There are so many places and things and experiences. I draw a lot of my creative energy from emotion like usually it’s a feeling. Ultimately it’s based on feeling/emotion. I do have the ability to build a model for a purpose like if someone’s like “Hey, build me this for this” I can do that. That’s cool. I respect forms and history like that so if we’re doing IPMS style model building and whatever. I can do all of that stuff but when it comes to my creative things.

The Flea was driven from complacency because I’ve built so many mecha. I built all those Gundams. My first year back into building scale models and Gundam models, I think I built like forty-eight or forty-nine models that year. Those were built out of the box. Then out of those forty-eight or forty-nine, twelve of them were customized. Then of those twelve, nine of them were fully painted and redone. Super-duper doned. I think after doing all of these things and trying to put my spins on it I wanted to break out of doing a Gundam (and a Gundam).

I wanted to do something that was super original and that was the thing. It was my feeling shoehorned in. It was my anxiety that caused me to want to build that model.

After I did the Flea I did the resin upgrade for the Full City Upgrade from the rebake, which is a garage kit. All the work that went into that sculpting stuff. The work that I was doing as a metal worker at the time was just exhausting and I felt just drained. That’s where Mazoku came from, the big demon dragon guy leaning on a cliff tired as fuck. That was me, old wizard Brian leaning on his staff.

Q: Tell me about your favorite medium?

A: (Hmm x4)

That’s tough because I’ve worked in a lot of mediums.

I like all mediums. Let me preface this very long answer by saying I do enjoy working in all mediums. As I’ve always said, I’m a jack of all trades and master of none because it’s better than being a master of one.

It depends on the application. I’m kind of a mixed-media sort of guy. I spent fifteen years as a metal worker. I have metal in my blood. I’m sure I have a very high cadmium content and am probably way more sick on the inside than I think I am.

That’s tough because metal is incredibly versatile. I’ve worked on both small and large scales. I’ve done sculptural stuff and architectural stuff. I’ve made a bunch of furniture out of it. I’ve made a bunch of houses out of it and made a bunch of art out of it. I made all this crazy crap. I know it well and I’m super comfortable with it, but at the same time, it has its shortcomings. It’s expensive, it’s heavy and it’s dirty.

I spent a bunch of time working in wood polymers doing sculptures then making silicone molds to cast them in resin. Resin is cool. Also, resin is incredibly temperamental and incredibly hard to work with. So is silicone and so are all these other things.

if you go back in time, painting. Flat painting on canvas. Stretching canvases then painting in oil paintings and acrylics. Creating depth, or the illusion of depth, or realistic relief sculpture paintings, combos, and things.

They all have their drawbacks and their benefits. It’s weird.

My favorite artistic medium? Conversation. I enjoy talking, sharing ideas, learning, and educating as best as I can.

Q: How do you develop your art skills?

A: I get excited about stuff easily which is one thing that’s a superpower and super deficit at the same time. I get excited about shit. I get excited about stuff and want to find out how it goes.

What avenues do I take to find out the answers I seek are talking to people about stuff. When I can’t do that, or either prior step, because talking to people can be complicated and cause anxiety. Shit like that.

I like books. They’re fantastic. YouTube is a great place to see some things but you have to curate what you’re looking for to make sure you’re not just nothing. Or someone regurgitating something else that was said on a podcast or something, in poorer quality.

Ask a friend. Phone a friend.

Q: How has your style changed over time?

A: Oh wow.

If you want to talk about the broad spectrum of art. Initially, when I started to create art as a young person I tried to do things that would be appreciated. I also tried to emulate things that I saw.

So early on I would say, early on, I was drawing free whatever. Do my best. Raw things became stick figures. Stick figures became stick figures with clothes but that didn’t look right. So I tried to draw the hands and feet. I tried to work on those things as best as I could to try to naturally progress.

I’m a little bit older so there wasn’t the internet and just books. I would take a trip to the library and get books. Not just on figure drawings or things like that but I would get books of this wonderful series of books when I was younger, that did dissections of machines and stuff like that. It would be a whole book on construction equipment and municipal stuff like ambulances and taxis. Then there was another book, military planes, ships, and stuff like that. Those kinds of books.

Various things to try. Instruction manuals. I would do what I could. I found out that Bob Ross was a thing I was like “Oh shit, I’m not just going to draw anymore. Now I’m gonna try to do some painting.” So I got into painting. I was drawing and painting.

My mom was a crafter. So she’d do crafting and would have cool decorations up in the house. I got into drawing the decorations that she would have out like “still lifestyle”. Then trying to recreate those different things.

Got into sculpting and I don’t know. I just like it all. I’m hungry to learn shit. There are a few things I have on the list like I don’t have a lot of experience blowing glass. I have a little bit of experience in cutting stone but not enough to feel competent that I could carve a gargoyle.

(Hmm x2)

Wow, my list got a lot shorter. It used to be longer. I could use a bit of a brush-up on tempering for blades. I know some but I don’t know enough.

Q: What tools are crucial to you?

A: Ceramic scrapers are sold by Volks USA and Volks Japan.

Q: How do you define success as an artist?

A: How do I define success as an artist?

I feel successful when I complete a project with a purpose that is well received by the community (that doesn’t mean winning awards or taking trophies) but commentary or feedback from my contemporaries and other individuals in the community.

So my goal for the cerulean project this year is a little large. I have been trying to not let that weigh on me as that tends to bring out the anxiety in a project. When you can overcome that anxiety. When you can work through the challenges and come to a positive result. I feel there lies the success.

When you achieve your vision and you’re satisfied with your work. Even if it’s not the best it could be. Being happy with what you’ve done because we can always make something better.

Paintings and stuff are never done.

Feeling like you have been able to at least impart realize your vision at a stage where you can either progress further or work it again in a different way.

Q: Is there a specific environment that’s crucial to your work?

A: Nope. There isn’t. I’ve done work comfortably sitting on the workbench. I’ve done work carelessly hanging off the edge of a building. I’ve done work on top of an elevator where you need a union permit I never had. I’ve done work hanging upside down. It is what it is. Work’s work.

Q: What do you like to snack on when working on a piece?

A: Well, It kind of varies. I’ve always been a fan of gummy candy or sour gummy candy. Right now I have Mike and Ike’s mega sour mix. Or Sour Patch Kids. Or Haribos.

I like salted in the shell peanuts. Popcorn with chopsticks on occasion. This is where I’m at in the house. If I’m awake and I’m doing something in the house I’m usually here at the workbench or out in the backyard/shed.

If Colleen isn’t around I’m here. I eat here. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner I’m at the workbench. Move some shit out of the way, eat quickly, and go back to whatever the heck I was working on.

Q: What’s your scariest hobby/art moment? Or most the embarrassing?

A: There’s been so many moments. Well, there’s always the first time you have to put your work up in a professional forum. Having your work in a gallery with people who are worth multi-million dollars looking at your shit and commenting on it.

It was through the metal shop and I was part of the metal workers that made the art for whatever, but it’s still my work. It’s still being judged by all these people, you know? That happened a lot of times for me. Just because of where I am, what happened, and my circumstances. It’s not typical at all.

Q: Drop a random art tip right now.

A: Don’t be afraid to change your #11 exacto blade out. A sharp exacto blade is more important than saving half a penny a week by not using fresh blades.

Q: What does your artwork represent? Are there themes or messages?

A: Nothing more than I suppose the initial implied emotion from the build. I don’t have an overarching message or banner that I fly. Mostly yeah, like I said before, I try to inspire people to build something creative and find something they want to make and follow that aspiration.

I want to empower people to explore their creative desires and be who they need to be.

Q: How do you think art is important to society?

A: Art is a reflection of society. The works of art that we see throughout the periods of history are reflections of the time. Some of the social views are represented whether they be through direct representation or satirical representation. Obviously when you get deeper into existential and non subjective work like Dada or Picasso’s work or Dali’s work. Things get a little bit different.

In regards to the Mecha modeling field, I don’t think it has any relationship to society or anything. I think it’s just making cool shit and showing love for our creative IP or a common love for design.

I think that’s fantastic. It is just as fantastic as the amount of love there is for people who build Sherman tanks or Hornet Airplanes.

Q: What do you listen to when you work?

Well, I listen to a lot of things. I often will put on movies that I enjoy that I’ve seen. I watch a lot of movies. A lot of it is varied. It’s something that I enjoy. If you’re talking to the average person out there, put on what you enjoy.

Q: What’s your most seminal art moment?

I would say it happened when I was young and I was like probably 4 or 5. I was at the sitters. Mom was working of course. She was single then and I was surrounded by a swirl of children. I had some crayons and a gigantic sheet of paper in front of me. There was a girl that I was sweet on across from me. She was drawing with crayons and trying to draw letters, a person, or something else. I grabbed the crayon and tried to do the same thing. I did something that I was able to translate my thoughts. What was in my mind at that moment when I was drawing then that clicked into my head that I genuinely enjoyed life.

That creative process to be able to put my thoughts, and use my hand or whatever tool it was, to create whether it be. It started in flat form with crayons. I was just wasting paper and shit because I was a little kid. You don’t know what the fuck you’re doing. Just having fun.

That was the kick-off point that started my journey towards that creative endeavor. Towards drawing more. Then drawing leads to doing things. Rendering things through drawing. Then it was “How do I sculpt things in 3D?”. What different ways can I sculpt things? Can I carve stuff? Can I use clay? How do you use clay? Can you throw clay on a wheel?

Then doing another kind of ceramics or other craftwork too. Jewelry making. Jewelry making leads to metalworking and then that leads to other forms of art.

The seminal moment was that point when I was alone, destitute, and lost, and found that connection between paper and crayon. That visceral moment. That creative spark. That was a good time.

Q: Who are your biggest artistic influences?

This is a good one! Let’s see… It’s tough because there are many things that artists and artistic works have inspired me.

Obviously, I’m going to give it up front to Luca (Kallamity) for being his creative self and putting out the work he’s put out. They’ve been wildly inspirational and I found a fabulous compatriot in him for the creative vision, design, drawing, layout, ya know.

If you want to look at someone dedicated to the craft and a record keeper, that man is fantastic.

Obviously Link. Give that guy a high-five and buy him a coffee.

Going to go a little bit far back in time and go to Berry Windsor-Smith. He was the guy who did Weapon X comics. He’s so good. I have a book of his. Then Bill Sienkiewicz who recently passed away. This guy was fantastic. He did so much work for the Dune comics back in the eighties and this limited series called Strange Toasters. He’s a wild pen and ink artist. Frank Cho is fantastic.

Simon Bisley’s the bible. He is so good. He did a lot of stuff that was like Heavy Metal or Heavy Metal 2099. His renditions from the bible are fantastic.

Q: When people view your art, what do you want them to experience or feel?

That’s a tough question because art is subjective at all times. I do think of modeling and sculptural creative work as art. I also understand the things that people see from my work, like many other creators, whether it be writing, film, or music. It’s all going to be viewed from a different place by a set of emotions or history or whatever it might be. That is one of those inherent things we all have to understand.

What I hope I can achieve with the work that I do is that I want to instill a sense of childlike wonderment. I want people to see my work and be fascinated by it and inspired by it to make something they are also inspired to make. I also want to, just for myself, feel like I enjoy the things I make so I don’t make things I don’t enjoy.

It’s a two-way street there. If you don’t enjoy what you’re working on then people who view it won’t enjoy it. Maybe that is selfish of me to think.