Getting to know artist Brian Mashburn

Could you tell us a bit about where you grew up and where you are now?

I have lived in North Carolina my entire life - born and raised in Charlotte, college in Chapel Hill, I spent some time at the coast before moving to Asheville in 2002 where I currently reside.

What was your childhood like?

Ethnically ambiguous, southern latchkey kid in Nancy Reagan’s America.

What are your first artistic memories?

I remember filling in coloring books with my older brother.  Crayons and markers were a pretty big deal.

How has your style evolved over the years?  Does your early serious work differ in subject?

It is important for me to be perpetually evolving as a painter and I guess my work has matured to some extent - although it’s hard to say how.  My subjects haven’t changed a whole lot, just less nuance in the earlier work along with some delusions of grandeur.

Could you tell us a bit about "Cooper's Hawk," your release with us this week?

For the past few months there’s been a Cooper’s hawk in my neighborhood.  I see her every few days (I’m assuming it’s a juvenile female), always makes me happy.  The reference for this painting comes from photos taken of her recently. Hawks are rich in symbolism, something I look for in a subject - like an open source allegory, a hawk totem.

What's a normal day like in the studio for you?

It varies a good bit depending on when my next show is.  At the moment I’m getting ready for a large solo so it’s up at 5:30 am, feed the cat and dog, and get to work.  I’ll take lunch around noon and go as long as I am being productive, which is usually around 8pm.

What does every artist need in their studio?

A space heater.

Other than painting, what are your interests?

Hiking, bird watching and philosophy.

What can we look forward to from you next?

I have a solo with Thinkspace in Los Angeles opening April 7th called "Origin Stories."  This will be my first main room solo with them, pretty exciting.

"Cooper's Hawk" will be released on Thursday, March 15th at 1PM PST in our shop.