“Learning from Leisure” an interview with Bria Edwards!
scroll to the bottom for direct links to Bria’s creative happenings!
instagram : @be.theartistThroughout your life from childhood to adulthood, who are some of the women that inspire you the most?
“I would say my mom because growing up I never really had a ceiling to what I could do, it was never a burden or a struggle to pursue my interests. Anything I wanted to do, she just made it happen. And I felt like being able to move in that space of like, you know, unrestricted possibility creates a completely different way of thinking.”
What were some of the first lessons you learned about the world, as a young kid? How do those lessons show up in your world today?
Bria explains how she learned how to study people from a young age.
“Well it's not really a lesson, but in terms of me coming across interesting subject matter, when I was a kid I would do impressions of people a lot, imitating them, how they talked or the sounds they would make. People would say things like “Stop copying me, why are you copying me?” I think it was just me noticing things about people, like their default settings… something about that just triggers a deep curiosity in me. When I think about it now, I think that same curiosity allows me to be that specific in my artwork. So like, the very small things I'm capturing and the small moments that most people don't notice, or the things that most people don't find significant, I do.”
How did your “Black Leisure Survey” come about?
“I was trying to find ways to do research on people and how they spend their time, because I felt like my work lacked that kind of general research, outside of my own thoughts and opinions. So I was trying to figure out a way to do that, that worked with who I was as a person and how I thought. I've never really been attracted to reading books. I'm a very physical, hands-on creative thinker. The whole book thing, it’s never really been how I learn. It's like, it goes in one ear, and out the other. I wanted to find something that was very hands on and could really engage with people. So I thought, you know, maybe a survey would be more hands-on and I could talk with people and get their real life perspective. I wanted to make sure to incorporate social science into the survey, which one of my best friends helped me with. This was kind of a passion project for both of us. It was important to make sure the whole thing was very well rounded, that the questions we came up with did not lead people in any one direction, that we were not abusing or exploiting peoples vulnerability.”
What does leisure mean to you? How have you managed to create leisure in your life? How do we navigate the need for relaxation and joy even in such a busy demanding world?
“My biggest thing about leisure is, it's not so much about the rest and relaxation part. I mean, it is tied into it in a way, but for me, leisure is about agency. So for example, me having the weekend to myself, with my daughter not being home allows me to go hang out with a girlfriend, or go to a basketball game, etc. Honestly these days I'll probably be tired afterwards, but the point is I had a great weekend, I did exactly what I wanted to do. So I see leisure as having the freedom and the agency to do the things that interests you. I mean, rest is a basic human right, you need to sustain yourself, you know what I mean? So I don't really look at leisure in terms of that. I make time for my interests. I align myself with people who are living on par with how I desire my life to be. “
“In my work, I highlight these narratives, and create these images based on people I am, in someway, inspired by. My coworker, for example. He's an older Black man, like in his 60s, and he travels a lot and does a lot of different things; he’s been to Egypt, he’s been skiing/snowboarding, amongst other things. Other subjects I’ve had have a great job that they’re passionate about, they vacation at Martha's Vineyard, live on a waterfront of property, etc. When I say all that together it sounds a little fantastical but really these are just real people who enjoy their lives. That’s what I’m drawn to. So when I pick people for certain pieces, I'm able to say, “okay, I actually like this person, I like how they live their life”, then I have something interesting I can bring to life even moreso. So my subjects are like characters in a way, that represent certain things I want out of my life… so I might not be able to travel as much as I want to right now, or have everything I want out of life right now, but I know that it's possible to create this life for myself.”
What do you do full time for work?
I'm a full time artists technically. So, I'm a graphic designer, and I do work for somebody else, but you know, the work for me is not hard, it doesn't take a lot out of me. I work from home which is different from being at work all day and then coming home being tired. So, I'm very fortunate as far as work is concerned.
What can you say about the patience, consistency, and humility required to complete one of your paintings?
Consistency is always hard. Sometimes pieces can take a long time, and realizing when you need to take a break and knowing you can come back whenever you’re ready is important. Being able to pivot in this business is important. A lot of times we fight what we need to release, sometimes we need to just keep it moving. Don’t marry yourself to any one thing, be open to new thinking. I just kind of go with flow.
What are some things you have learned about perspective from fellow exhibition artists and audiences?
“It's always interesting getting other people's perspective. They might take something you create in a whole new perspective that you've never thought of before. I do a lot of subconscious thinking as well so like if I’m stuck on something I’ll talk to people who aren't artists and ask them questions and a lot of times they’ll give me “the wrong answer” you know? Like I’ll be like “what should I name this piece?” and they respond with something like “Black Love” and I’m just like “ ….thats basic, I dont want to name it that”
Bria laughs at the thought of an exchange like this and then adds…
“but in some way that exchange helps me realize my own right answer, through their wrong answer. I think any engagement with people is always an opportunity to pick up information. For me I just soak it all up, and maybe ill pull it out in a couple months, or next year, or never but I always appreciate how people help me think . But openings are always fun to meet people and get that social aspect, because you know a lot of artists typically spend a loot of time by themselves so its definitely fun to get out there and have a good time with people.”
Has anything stick out to you during a panel discussion or an exhibition that changed your perspective?
“So when I did the artist talk at Eaton, someone asked a question that had me stuck on the stage because I couldnt really understand the question within their statement. It made me think about how some people have these complex thoughts but may not have the language to really express what it is their thinking about. But I think they were trying to ask “where do you start in terms of finding leisure?” It had me think about the people that I keep around me that I aspire to be like, in the sense of how they actualize their goals. It helps to align yourself with people who do the things that you’re interested in. It can be overwhelming embracing something new. So, for example, if you really wanna get into golfing, it can seem like a very exclusive leisure activity. It might be a daunting thing if you don’t have anyone to take you out there to try it, so you might get insecure about the idea. So in that case, I’d say find someone who golfs on the weekend, ask them to take you with them sometime just so you can know what its like to actually be out there on the field, then the next time it doesnt feel as grand or as out of reach as you initially thought, and next time you go you might try to actually play. So thats one question that stuck out to me— “how do you even begin to find your leisure?” — You keep working towards it.”