Pop culture junkie Brandon has chosen a few key celebs to grace his paintings: namely Harrison Ford, Christopher Walken, and Mr. T.  Yet cameos by the Ninja Turtles are not out of the question. These are cultural staples of our generation, so why not immortalize them in oil?

Brandon Bird is not what most of us think of when we think of artists who work with oil on canvas, but this young artist’s humorous take on celebrity and pop culture is quickly garnering praise in the West Coast art scene. In an interview with Art Nouveau Magazine, Bird talks about his love for pop culture, oil paintings and more.

Art Nouveau Magazine: How are you?

Brandon Bird: I don’t even know.  I just came off of pulling weeks of all-nighters to get paintings I’m not completely satisfied with ready for a show.  So at this moment I’m feeling a little blue that I don’t have infinite time and talent and energy.

ANM: What is it about pop culture that interests you?

BB: I like all forms of culture and expression.  But culture involving grizzled detectives or robots that turn into cars is somehow especially endearing.

ANM: You recently moved to L.A. right? What prompted the move? And how have you been enjoying it so far?

BB: I’ve been in LA about a year and a half, after being in San Francisco for about that same amount of time.  Basically, I was the one guy who hated San Francisco and was absolutely miserable there.  It should have been superfun since all my old high school and college buddies were there, but I found it incredibly difficult to do anything, like go anywhere more than two blocks away, let alone try to make art or run a small one-man business.  So I wanted out, and LA was a more manageable move than, say, New York, and I had art-doings going on there at the time.

Los Angeles is overgrown and often bland and disgusting and filled with cretins.  But, it also has great museums, more actual art going on than San Francisco, and pockets of weird, interesting things that don’t deserve to be here.  And there’s access to all sorts of ‘art support’ services–here I can find someone to custom build a 7-foot canvas for a landscape of Sears, as well as a guy with a custom scanning business who can digitize the thing when it’s done.

Plus nothing beats that electric thrill of walking past Wayne Brady in a parking garage

ANM: Why oil paintings?

BB: Because oil is versatile and easier to control than acrylic.  And also, the medium is usually part of the joke.  I kinda want the reaction to a lot of my pieces to be, “Whaaaaat? How did this come into being?  Why would anyone ever, ever take the time to turn this into a painting?”

ANM: Would you say painting in oil gives immortality to pop culture icons you paint like Sega Genesis?

BB: Yes.  P.S. it’s a Sega Master System, not its descendant, the Genesis.

ANM: Tell me about your time at Cornell University.

BB: There was an unusual amount of Harry Potter cosplay.

ANM: What prompted you to have your students write letters to Christopher Walken?

BB: The arts dorm Artists-in-Residence are supposed to come up with fun arty programming for the students (art majors and non-majors) to take part in, I suppose to add value to their college experience.  So I thought, “Huh, it’s winter time, everyone’s stressed from finals, maybe writing some traditional Christmas letters would help.”

ANM: How did the students react? How did the school react?

BB: The students seemed to enjoy it.  The school did not notice.

ANM: Tell me about growing up in Sacramento?

BB: This one time, in 1986, I saw Transformers: The Movie.  My imagination burst forth like Athena from the forehead of Zeus.

ANM: Do you have any upcoming shows?

BB: Through September 5th I have some paintings at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles (like said 7 foot Sears painting).  After that, I think any shows I do I’m going to plan and organize myself.  I’m going to try this thing where I make some paintings, and then figure out where and how to exhibit them, instead of working towards a deadline someone else decided on.

ANM: What artists influence you?

BB: In terms of influence–maybe if Michelangelo painted a Gary Larson cartoon.

ANM: What statement or statements if any are you trying to make with your work?

BB: You know, just trying to sum up everything that’s awesome and sorrowful and magical and sad.

ANM: What’s next for you?

BB: Rest, adventure, infinite art.

ANM: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

BB: Despite the fact that it repeatedly kills me, art can be pretty fun sometimes.

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