The Karen Wray Gallery
1247 Central Avenue, Suite D-2
Los Alamos, NM 87544
(505) 660-6382
kewray40@comcast.net
1247 Central Avenue, Suite D-2
Los Alamos, NM 87544
(505) 660-6382
kewray40@comcast.net
I started school at BYU-Hawaii perusing biology as a major, but quickly switched over to my true love, fine arts. I graduated in 2009 with a BFA in Fine Arts emphasis on 2-Dimensional art, and with a minor in International Cultural Studies. While in school I worked mainly in oil. Completing my final show, a 12 piece presentation called “Water Droplets,” all in oil paint. Through my classes I was able to dabble in most art mediums including some of my other favorites like watercolor and photography. After graduating I worked mostly in acrylic paints (I found that working at home without a studio, oils can stink up the house pretty quick!).
Since graduating from BYU-Hawaii I have lived in many different states including, Utah, Nevada, Missouri, and now New Mexico. Moving every few years with my husbands job has given me a great love of the differences our country has to offer in each state. Utah with its vast and snow capped mountains, Las Vegas and its expansive variety of entertainment, St Louis and it’s green trees, tight streets and family friendliness. And now New Mexico, first Albuquerque, the low desert like valley near the mountains and now Los Alamos, up in the mountains on the mesas with so much cultural heritage everywhere you look. There is inspiration everywhere I look!
After all this moving about I now have two crazy, awesome little boys that keep me on my toes and are the reason I’m currently working with colored pencils. Paints are a no go in our house currently, as the boys somehow have a sixth sense as to when I pull them out to try to do any kind of work. So I pulled out the colored pencils at the beginning of the year in hopes to expand my range in art mediums, and my flower series was born!
Erin Breneman will present a colored pencil solo exhibition at the Karen Wray Gallery
It can be hard to pursue your own creativity when you have young kids in the house. But Erin Breneman has been able to develop her artistic talent as a parent. For her, the key was to choose a medium that doesn’t make a mess. Colored pencils.
Using colored pencils she captures flowers in astounding lifelike detail.
Her work is now being featured in a solo exhibition at the Karen Wray Gallery in Los Alamos. The community is invited to an opening reception from 5-7 pm on Thursday, October 24th.
“I got into it a couple of years ago when I wanted to do something special for my mom for her birthday,” said Breneman. “I used oils in college, but they’re messy and smelly and the kids get into it and you have to put it away. So I used what was available, colored pencils and paper, and it’s so much more convenient than painting when you have little kids. It just grew from there.”
Most of her pieces are gorgeous and intricate drawings of flowers. Most of her subject material comes from photos that she took at places like the botanical gardens. She also contacts florists on instagram and (with permission) uses their photos. “When I follow farmers who grow flowers, I’ve been able to find some unique flowers.”
She started showing her work at the Karen Wray Gallery at the end of 2017, and this is her first official show.
She graduated from BYU in Hawaii with a degree in fine art. While working on her degree she did a final show with photographs and paintings of flowers that were on the island, like plumeria. She said, “There were flowers everywhere.”
Join Erin Breneman and all the other artists at the Karen Wray Gallery on Thursday, October 24th. The Karen Wray Gallery is located at 1247 Central Avenue, Suite D, in Los Alamos.