Artist of the Week: Jason Brammer

There is something almost poetic about the idea of the past being a key element in our futures. This is a concept that also seems to fascinate Chicago artist on the rise Jason Brammer. I was first exposed to his work at the recent Torn Pages event at OhNo!Doom Gallery, but most of his time this past year has been spent crafting time machines. Yes, time machines. Yet, these artistically crafted time machines manage to capture the past and the future at the same time. It is almost like he has crafted timeless time machines. However, Jason's work is so much more than these machines.

His work is filled with twists and turns. He uses the airbrush and other tools to create a softness or a haze that you don't typically see. You can tell he has these wildly vivid images constantly flowing through his mind. One look at the walls of his studio will illustrate how gifted he truly is.

Recently, Jason was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): You recently participated in a Josh Lucas' Torn Pages event. What was that experience like and do you see yourself working with writers in the future?
Jason Brammer (JB): The "Torn Pages" event was a lot of fun and it was an interesting approach to come up with an illustrated narrative for a short story. For me, the challenge was to visually convey parts of the story while injecting my own aesthetic into each of the three works on paper that I contributed to the show. I would be open to working with writers in the future if it seems like a good fit and the writing lends itself to being interpreted visually.

OA: What is it about time travel, machines, and technology that fascinates you and keeps these elements reoccurring in your work?
JB: The fascinating thing about Time Machinery and technology that I am currently drawn to is juxtaposing the old and the new, the light and the dark, and the past and the future. In many of my pieces, you can often find polar opposites next to each other, like a "rusted" machine that looks like it was from 1901 with a window looking into an undisclosed future or an opening in the "machine" that emanates a warm, orange glow next to the cold blue steel look of the contraption. I am drawn to the idea of the "machines" visually transporting the view into another place, time, or dimension. For me, a piece is a success when people have to do a double-take and go in for further inspection to see what is real and what is painted.

OA: The installation and mural you did for the "Rock The Future" exhibition was absolutely incredible. It was about the future, but many of the elements you utilized were from the past. How long did it take you to prepare for that show?
JB: Thank you. As far as preparation, I worked on all of the 8 paintings and works on paper off and on for several weeks but the actual installation part at OhNo!Doom was around 3 days. It went really fast since we had a limited time frame. I like not having too much time so that you have to make decisions quickly and don't over think anything too much.

OA: You've turned the walls of your studio into a giant sketch pad or practice space. What will have happen when you run out of wall?
JB: The wall is always evolving and I've painted over a lot of it in the past, but I try to document the different phases as the wall is always morphing into other weird things. The latest is a study of Michelangelo's "Pieta" surrounded by swirling atoms. I've actually taken to painting beyond the walls too. The ceiling, cabinets, and the back of the door are also works-in-progress.

OA: Can you talk a little about your technique and tools?
JB: TOP SECRET. Just kidding. I do a lot of airbrushing that creates the soft and out-of-focus feel for a lot of my work and then I use plasters and paint to create the textures for many pieces. I also do some brush work to create harsh lines for the tubes and things that are "in focus". In the last few years, I've begun to use lots of antiques that I'm always scavenging for in my "Time Machines" series. I love finding the perfect object to attach to a given piece. I have an ever-growing supply of old hardware, gauges, and oddities. I've recently been using a lot more woodworking tools, like different saws and drills. I have a Makita drill that I love. I sometimes carve different shapes and forms out of wood or signboard, paint them to look like metal, and then incorporate those into my paintings. I use a lot of glaze as well to "age" a piece and make it look old.

OA: You recently participated in an Atomic Sketch event. Do you enjoy live painting and is your process did in that setting?
JB: I actually did Atomic Sketch again last night (February 25th) and it was a lot of fun. I love the Live Painting environment and I feel like I tend to work a little faster and get a lot done when I'm doing live work. I can never believe that it's 10pm when the event's over and it's time to wrap it up since time really flies by in those scenarios.

OA: What's next for Jason Brammer?
JB: I currently have work displayed in five locations around the city and will continue to show, paint and create things in my studio, which is in the Ukranian Village. Right now, I have a solo show at "Dunlay's On The Square" in Logan Square, which is a few blocks from our place, and we're having an opening there on March 11th from 6pm - 9pm. I will be painting live throughout the course of the evening for the opening and I think it's going to be really fun. I'm installing a commission that I did for a client in the Trump Tower next week and that's a nice place to hang out in. Say what you will about Donald Trump, but the dude can build a cool building. I currently have a new body of work that I'm working on and I'll probably debut it at some point this summer.

Bonus Questions:
OA: If you could sit down to coffee with anyone (alive or dead) who would it be?
JB: Besides the obvious Jesus, Buddha or Ghandi, I'd have to go with the Chicago architect Louis Sullivan. I was admiring the Carson Pirie Scott building yesterday and then saw the Transportation Building that he did for the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago at the Art Institute's show of photos from that era. He infused architecture with a sense of spirituality that is fluid and amazing. I'd also like to drink with Caravaggio (the greatest painter to ever live, in my opinion) as well, but it wouldn't be coffee and he'd probably want to fight me, so maybe not the best idea.

OA: What type of music do you enjoy and who are a few of your favorites?
JB: I listen to a ton of different types of music. I was in a band, Old Pike, that was signed to Sony Records in the late 90's and played bass full time for years, so music has had a big influence on how my life has turned out. We didn't exactly go Platinum, but we sure had fun. Most of those guys moved to L.A. and I moved to Chicago in 2001.

I like a lot of music, but I really enjoy listening to people I've been in bands with or who are friends of mine. I'm a little biased, but I love "My Morning Jacket" (former Old Pike guitar player), "Rogue Wave" (former Old Pike drummer), Chicago's own "Cameron Mcgill" (I played bass with him for a few years), "Cory Chisel", and Chicago-based "The Most Dangerous Race" a.k.a "The MDR". I always return to Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Daniel Lanois, Elliot Smith, the Gorillaz (new album out soon!), and others. The singer from Verbena, A.A. Bondy, has an awesomely mellow solo album out called "When the Devil's loose" that is really beautiful and melancholy. It depends on the mood. Lately, I've been getting more into electronica and ambient sounds as well.

For more information on Jason Brammer please visit his website.

Share