Interview
Brandon Powell
Brandon has been drawing since he could hold a pencil, but it took leaving a 14-year marketing career to finally pursue art full-time. Growing up in Rialto, CA in the 90s, a paper and pencil became his escape from his environment, transporting him to fantasy worlds filled with comic book superheroes and classic cartoons. Without formal training, Brandon draws inspiration from legends like Ernie Barnes, Todd McFarlane, and Aaron McGruder. Like a well-loved stuffed animal with its mended scars, or preserving the innocence of youth in a world increasingly dominated by screens and technology, each painting tells a story of resilience and celebrates the magic of a childhood that is a relic of the past. He doesn't create art that needs complex interpretation; the best compliment he’s ever received was simply: “Your art makes me happy.” That's his mission.
Photo credits: Ashane Bernard
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“As a kid, I was always drawing. I spent a lot of time drawing my favorite cartoon, comic, and anime characters not knowing I was preparing myself for a career in art later in life. Before getting to that art career I spent 14 years working in marketing in corporate America. Art saved me! I was laid off twice in 2023 and dealt with all the issues that come along with that mentally and otherwise. My escape was painting. I set a cut off time for applications and turned to art for the rest of the day. This allowed me to create my first collections and hone in on my unique style. I took a chance and applied to my first art show locally in LA. My work was extremely well received. I sold 11 paintings, including my first full collection. That show gave me the spark I needed, and the confidence to pursue art full time. Since then, I've been on an amazing journey that's moving faster then I could have ever imagined.”
What inspires you?
“I'm inspired by a lot of things. My biggest sources of inspiration are my family and my childhood. My family is amazing! The support of my wife has sustained my momentum in this new journey I'm on. Watching my kids grow has inspired my two main collections. ‘Stuff of Legend,’ my stuffed animal collection, is inspired by my daughter's aggressive love of her stuffies. Watching her play and love on her toys reminded me of fond memories of my own childhood. I wanted this collection to invoke those feelings for the viewer. My son inspired another collection called ‘The Space to Be Kids.’ This collection is a commentary on the invasion of technology on kids, leaving them without much room to actually do kid stuff. It juxtaposes kids in space helmets, representing technology, against them playing simple childhood games, like marbles.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“The underlying theme of my work is joy. While there are deeper themes to my work, I don't make art for the purpose of deep interpretation. I want the viewer to experience joy in some way when they see my work. Whether it's the person having an introspective moment remembering a happy memory of their childhood through the lens of a well-loved stuffed animal painting, or the person who says the art simply makes them smile, my goal is always to bring joy.”
How would you describe your work?
“I describe my work as storytelling on canvas. I use paint to tell a visual story that can live by itself, without the need for deep explanation. My styles are uniquely my own with influences from anime, comic books, countless art museum tours, and past great artists like Ernie Barnes. My stuffed animal style is particularly unique. My goal with this style is to create something you can feel with your eyes.”
Which artists influence you most?
“The most influential artist for me is Ernie Barnes. His style influenced a lot of other great artists I enjoy, but he is the foundation. His influence is more profound is some of my styles more than others. I was also heavily influenced by comic artists like Aaron McGruder and Todd McFarland.”
“I describe my work as storytelling on canvas. I use paint to tell a visual story that can live by itself, without the need for deep explanation.”
What is your creative process like?
“My creative process is fairly simple. I visualize my paintings through rough outlines for form, positioning, and relationship of subjects. These are usually just shapes rather than a true drawing. Next, I draw a true sketch on a blank canvas. This is where my artist influences tend to show since the people I'm most influenced by are not concerned with proportionality, or they work within a discipline that allows for disproportionality. This allows me the freedom to not be concerned with having everything exact, which is a big deal for me because my mind strives for balance in all things. After this, I get straight to painting.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“An artists role is to evoke emotions and feelings that lead to a change in disposition. Whether that's taking you from a lighthearted mood into something more reflective and introspective, or bringing joy to a mundane day, art should shift your state of mind. Art is tasked with shifting the consciousness of society. As artists of all disciplines are custodians of that task, we have to evolve our creative output to impact the current and future ideals. We have to hold it accountable to its ideals and promises for everyone in the society.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“My recent exhibitions include The Other Art Fair in Los Angeles, CA in February 2025 and the Superfine Art Fair in San Francisco, CA in March 2025. My upcoming exhibitions include the San Francisco Art Show in San Francisco, CA in April 2025; the Superfine Art Show in Brooklyn, NY in April 2025 and the Seattle Art Fair in Seattle, WA in July 2025.”
Website: artxbe.com
Instagram: @artxbe
