Not only is Evan Bradbury the owner and curator of Carnelian Art Gallery, he’s also a talented and versatile painter who has recently focused his attention on creating abstract artworks mainly with acrylic paint, but with other mediums, too, like hydrophobic sprays.
If you ask him about his process, he will tell you that he enjoys making a mess. To me, Bradbury’s pieces are an invitation to deconstruct the notion that we as humans need to be composed and efficient at all times. His general use of color, symbols, and mixed media showcase how there’s an inner-child in all of us begging to imagine and create. I’m of the mind that our current society doesn’t do a good job of letting us live in accordance with that nature. Bradbury’s pieces are a blatant representation of that philosophy.
Further, each piece has its own identity and emotion. And Bradbury doesn’t box himself into any one style or modality.
This piece, “Untitled,” represents weeping for me. The way the paint drips downward on the canvas may have its onlooker feeling a sense of release or catharsis. This work is encourages the viewer to let go of their anger, sadness, fear, and even to express love openly and freely.
This work, “Untitled,” showcases how healing happens sporadically. It’s not a linear process. Things may seem dark, but overtime, little pinpricks of vibrant color transmute the black. When there’s a fire, green brush and trees eventually burst forth from the ashes.
This artwork, “Untitled,” is a prompt to look inward. It tells me to be still and observe how my emotions wax and wane. We are not static as beings. We can also hold two, or several, emotions at the same time. We can feel sad, but also see the joy in it.
I like Bradbury’s use of symbols in this work, “Untitled.” It gives off an urban and contemporary vibe. This piece is perhaps a callback to Bradbury’s youth. It’s a time that all of us feel like we have our entire lives ahead of us. We shape our destinies as we see fit.
Last but not least, this artwork, “Untitled,” carries a darker tone than a lot of Bradbury’s works, but it’s one of my favorites that currently on display inside Carnelian Art Gallery. The bright reds, teals, and greens interspersed with the splattering of black paint delineates a depressed and even melancholy mood. But beneath the melancholy is anger. The anger drives the onlooker to strive for better than what they’ve suffered through.
Overall, Bradbury teaches us to embrace our imperfections through his paintings, to be still, and to let ourselves just exist sometimes.