As part of our summer-long mural exhibit, Artisans at The Arboretum, The Dawes Arboretum is proud to showcase the work of nine talented artists who have brought their creativity to our grounds. In this Meet the Artist series, we’re highlighting the people behind the paint, learning more about their inspiration, process and what their murals mean to them. Today, we’re excited to introduce you to Adam Brouillette whose mural "Renewal Crew" can be found on the Parkwoods Trail.
1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background as an artist?
I grew up, a middle class, midwestern kid, watching cartoons, eating cereal, and playing Legos. I eventually landed in Columbus and I am a graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design. Since then... I have spent 20+ years working as a professional artist and arts organizer.
2. How would you describe your artistic style or the themes you explore in your work?
My artistic style is derived from being a double major in college. I wanted to draw cartoons... but I didn't want to work for someone else. So I became a fine arts major that focused on making cartoon based work. That has lead me to creating a series of characters that have become the basis for my work. Despite being a cartoon based artist, I view my work not as pop, but as narrative. My themes are generally commentary on social issues, history, armchair science, and personal experiences all in a sorbet colored, screaming cartoon wrapped package.
3. What inspired your mural for Artisans at The Arboretum?
I think a lot about how we interact with our environment. I think about how unfortunate it is that something like the health of our planet is politicized or debatable. I think about how our responsibility to our planet is something we all need to do together. And it isn't a part time endeavor. It needs to be a full time team effort. I wanted to depict my characters performing that action.
4. Did the location or landscape of The Dawes Arboretum influence your piece in any way?
The people. I created the drawing before too much of the experience at the space. But arriving to work and seeing the staff at work, performing the same actions as the characters in my painting, was a real 'art inspired by life' moment for me.
5. Can you walk us through your creative process from concept to completion?
Normally there is an idea. There is time spent thinking about a topic. That becomes doodles, normally in a sketchbook, sometimes digitally. Sometimes multiple sketches get combined into one final drawing. That drawing is then transferred to a substrate or surface; sometimes a canvas, sometimes a wall. Then I work from back to front, painting the background colors, then the character fills, then shadows, and finally the linework. In this case, aerosol paint was used for the fills and the linework was done with a brush.
6. What was the most rewarding or challenging part of working on this project?
I think one really neat thing was the amount of care put into the surfaces the artists were presented to paint on and the placement of the paintings around the grounds. Normally, when you get asked to paint on an 8'x8' surface, you get some plywood boards screwed together that just sit on the ground or are propped against the wall. Arriving to see some beautifully built stands showed real care for the artists that was very appreciated. Same with the placements along the trails. It is evident that the Dawes team truly cares about creating an experience in partnership with the artists for the guests of the Arboretum. And that goes noticed.
7. What do you hope visitors take away from seeing your mural?
On passing, I hope they feel brightness and cheerfulness. On reflection, I hope they see characters working together to care for the environment. I hope that when they leave, they remember what they saw and recognize those characters when they seem them in other places, and want to get to know those stories too.
8. Where can people see more of your work or connect with you online?
The best place to see my work is at my studio at Blockfort in Columbus. I also have dozens of murals on walls regionally. Online you can find me on Instagram at @adambrouillette and on my website www.adambrouillette.com
We’re grateful to Adam Brouillette for sharing his time and talent with our Arboretum community. Be sure to stop by Adam's mural along the Parkwoods Trail during your next visit to see his work up close and experience how art, nature and history come together in this one-of-a-kind exhibit. Artisans at The Arboretum runs through September 20.