A Woman's Work

I had the pleasure of interviewing up and coming painter/visual artist Corinna Nicole Brewer. Here is what she had to say to some of the questions I asked her about her work.

Self Portrait painted by Corinna Nicole Brewer 

                                            

Corinna Nicole is a visual artist currently residing in Oakland, California.  Corinna was born in 1985 in Germany, where she grew up for 8 years. She later moved to Alabama, living there for 16 years before moving to California. She has a Bachelor's in Art from the University of Montevallo, in Montevallo, Alabama and received her Master's in Fine Arts in the Practice of Art from UC Berkeley in May 2011.

Primarily a painter, but interested in other media, Corinna's work often deals with identity and desire, whether it is about the dynamics between herself and others, her desire for women, her bi-racial heritage or her interests in female masculinities.

Where do you do your work?

I have a studio in Richmond, CA, provided by UC Berkeley at which I do my oil paintings, but I often do smaller, less toxic work in my bed. Unfortunately, I will no longer have my studio after July, so after that I'll be doing all of my work in my bedroom.

Do you work from life, or from photographs or from imagination?

I almost always work from photograph. To be honest, working purely from imagination is not a strong point for me and usually results in scribbles that end up in the trash.

What moves you most in life, either to inspire or upset you?

The people in my life and the communities I'm a part of inspire me. Much of my work deals with the queer community because that is what I'm surrounded by and interested in. I also recently started "stalking" my friends facebook profiles for kiss pictures of which I do ink/watercolor drawings.

Do any of your paintings have a deeper meaning?

Most of my work is made with the intention of making the viewer think about, reflect on, acknowledge or struggle with some idea. My most recent large scale paintings, for example appropriated classical images of the objectified female nude, which I then recreated by employing images of powerful, strong Masculine of Center women who reject the male gaze. The paintings demand that the viewer re-assess how women should be viewed and acknowledge that they may not necessarily fit the stereotypical category of "feminine."

Do you express different feelings when painting or do you just paint for the sake of painting?

Usually I create art to express a feeling, because my goal is for the viewer to spend time with my work, rather than just glance at it and take it for  a "beautiful painting." I want the viewer to feel something, to feel compelled to stay with it and have my art stay with them even after they are no longer looking at it. But sometimes, I need a break from that and will make art just for the sake of making it - art that is more lighthearted and about being visually pleasing.

Do you work certain hours each day or only when you are inspired to work?

Unless I'm on a tight deadline, I try to only create when I'm in the mood to. I find that forcing myself to make art only results in works that I do not like. Sometimes I'll only go to the studio once a week, sometimes I'll be in bed and suddenly get the urge to draw at 2am.

Out of all the career choices, do you think your career choice was a good one?

Although I didn't know that I wanted to be an artist until my sophomore year of undergrad, I strongly believe I was born to do this. I am not interested in anything else. Art is the only career I can see myself pursuing and being passionate about.

What do you enjoy about art?

I enjoy that art is about connecting. I appreciate the fact that not every work of art speaks to me, meaning that when I do find a work that I am interested in, I'm meant to spend time with it for a reason. I enjoy that anything can be argued to be art, if presented in the right context. Art creates dialogue and is meant to document the world we live in, as well as the things we can not see. I enjoy that art expresses more than words are capable of.

 What is the role of the artist in society?

The role of the artist is to show things people normally might now see.

What is the place of your work in society?

I'm still figuring that out. I'm relatively new to the art world and I'm still trying to find my niche.

What technique do you use?

Whatever technique is right for the particular work of art.

Which is more important to you, the subject of your painting, or the way it is executed?

The way the painting is executed is important in how the subject matter is expressed once the work of art is completed. But in the end, people will be more focused on the subject matter than the technique. I think most people have no idea what we as artists go through to create a work of art and they probably never will unless they spend a day in the studio with us. So I suppose I am more concerned with the subject matter of my art. 

How do u feel when you are letting your emotions loose on the canvas?

The process of making art can often be objective for me, even though the content of the work is very subjective. I tend to zone into the strokes of my paintbrush, how the colors are blending, etc, rather than paint with an emotion. On the other hand, when I do my kiss drawings, an on-going project of fun, quirky images of people kissing, I often catch myself smiling as I am drawing because I enjoy the quirkiness of them and get pleasure out of the expressions I put on paper. 

Do you see yourself changing the face of art, like for example Michelangelo?

I hope that my art will bring more light to and give a voice to queer people of color. But I think I have a long road ahead of me.

Is it more difficult to market your work as a Black female in the art industry?

Statistically, yes, that is a fact. If you're not a European, white male, your place in the art world is undoubtedly more difficult. I find that being an artist is difficult all in all. It requires not only that you make art, but that you spend just as much time marketing yourself, putting yourself out there. It can be exhausting. I do think that because my work often deals with subject matter that is very specific to the queer community, it is more difficult for me to find venues to exhibit my art. As horrible as it may sound, lately I've been trying to create art that may be more accessible to a larger, broader audience.

Where do you see yourself as an artist in the next 5yrs?

Hopefully in my studio making art, having my art widely exhibited, and be represented by a few galleries.

What makes you different from other artists or painters?

I don't think I have an answer for that one. Art is such a non-typical path...every artist finds their own way. I would, however, say that while art making is a huge part of my life, I look most forward to becoming a mother. I think having a child is the one thing that is more important to me than art.

View Corinna Nicole's Artwork at http://corinna-nicole.com/home.html