Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Brouillette.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m a Midwesterner. I grew up in Chicago, graduated from high school in the Cleveland area, and came to Columbus for college. After graduating from Columbus College of Art and Design in 2002, I toured with a band for a while, using the opportunity to figure out where I might want to live, and ultimately decided things were pretty promising in Columbus. I’ve been an artist my whole life and after college, decided that it was a profession I wanted to be in. That has lead me down a great many paths, not only making my paintings and showing them in museums and galleries, but working with non-profits, starting businesses, managing studio facilities, curating exhibitions, writing books, and what seems like a million other side quests. I will always primarily be an artist, but I’m happy to get involved in any civic engagement that allows me to support the creative community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, there have been many roads. The main road of being an artist branched into several other roads. Some of those roads were smooth, almost natural things that seemed to occur and build momentum easily. Others were difficult, having many road bumps to go over. Some fell apart or became almost impossible to travel on. Regardless of the qualities or successes of any of the projects I’ve been a part of, all of them have continued moving me forward. And for that I am thankful.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My personal artwork is a series of cartoon characters I began making professionally right before leaving college. They are narrative in nature, allowing me to tell my sort of modern fables, using the characters as stand-ins for social scenarios, personal scenarios, stories of discovery, stories of hope and positivity, and subversive narratives that call criticism to some of the negative parts of society. They come in many forms, canvas paintings, prints, stickers, shirts, and murals. I’m constantly seeking new ways of making these stories come to life. But the characters stay familiar throughout the years. I have a sense of pride in the things I create and I feel both proud and blessed to have had the opportunity to do it professionally for the last 20 years.
My artwork is only one-half of the things I do. I have worked hard to be a leader in the Columbus arts community. I have managed galleries and studio buildings, attempting to bring together artists to highlight their work and to get them to work together. I’ve put on large events in an attempt to showcase those talents and collaborations to the larger community. I’ve worked as a consultant, helping businesses understand the necessity and value of art. And I’ve helped a number of organizations as a volunteer, Board member, and participant. I believe that being an artist is not an isolated, selfish existence. And I believe what artists do is not just desirable, but necessary in the world.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
It is always my recommendation that people do two things: Pay attention and get involved. Look at the world around you. Think about how you fit in it, what you have interest in, and what needs are there to fill. See similarities between the people you see and what you want for yourself and build that world. Then get involved. Volunteer. Join. Participate. Giving is receiving. The more you do, the more you help, the more opportunities will come to you.
Contact Info:
- Email: adam.brouillette@gmail.com
- Website: www.adambrouillette.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/adambrouillette
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/adam.brouillette.5
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/adambrouillette
