A little bit about me
Hello everyone! I just thought I would take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Bri and I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in studio art and a minor in art history. Post grad life was interesting to say the least. I studied art, history, and global citizenship in Paris, France, assisted a printmaker during their summer artist residency, and landed a few design clients. I really felt like things were moving in the right direction. Who could predict that a global pandemic would happen the year after I graduated? Certainly not me! I think we can all agree that those were the worst of times. In more ways than one! It was a dark ages for creatives as well. At least, I know it was for me. Finding work proved to be increasingly difficult. I worked odd jobs in retail and food service while improving my portfolio only to be hit with numerous rejection letters. I’ve started a bit of a collection, actually. I may even make my own sketchbook paper out of them so stay tuned. In all seriousness, it was quite discouraging. I knew that art was something that I wanted to pursue, but I wasn’t sure where to go from there. I felt pretty lost. I’ve played with the idea of starting my own business for the last few years, but finally decided to move forward in that direction. In August of 2024, Yellow Wood Studios was born. Officially, that is. It has been a long time coming and I couldn’t be happier with the result. I’ve put a lot of effort and time into this project and I am very grateful to have the privilege of sharing it with all of you. Even if there is just a handful of you, your support means the world to me. Some of you may be wondering, ‘why name your business Yellow Wood Studios?” Well, let me tell you! I have loved poetry for as long as I can remember and one of my favorite poems is by Robert Frost called “The Road Not Taken.” I’m sure many, if not all, of you are familiar with it. “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood…..and I— I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Pursuing your dreams in spite of failure is the road less traveled. Some may say that pursuing an art degree or career is foolish, but to hell with them. I will forever be in constant pursuit of my dreams regardless of whether or not they come to pass. I would rather say that I had the courage to pursue them than have never tried and live with the regret of “what if.” Don’t get me started on “what ifs.” They truly are the thieves of joy. I’ve been guilty of posing such questions: “What if I don’t make it? What if they don’t like me? What if I fail? What if I fall in love and they don’t love me back?” (that’s a personal one) Well, what if they do?!? What if everything you ever worked towards falls into place and the day finally comes where you get everything you could have ever wanted? I have hope that everything will work out even if it takes time and even if I have to remind myself of that every day. The second reason for the name “Yellow Wood Studios” is that my favorite medium is graphite and it represents the yellow wood of a pencil. Clever, right? I try. If you ever get a chance to look at my portfolio you will notice that a majority of my work is created with pencil. However, within the last couple of years I have tried to expand upon my use of media. Pencil still remains my favorite, though. I think it’s ok to be basic sometimes. There is something super fun about illustrating the world around you. I hope to one day write and illustrate children’s books. My next project is a booked titled, “The Misadventures of Hugo Delacroix” about a mime who learns how to make room for the “monsters” of depression and grief in his own life. I think we can all learn a thing or two from Hugo. Depression, grief, and anxiety among other things are like our ghosts in the attic. They haunt us, but we can learn to make room for them. I’m just hoping that my work can be a light for people. That’s my goal at least. All I can do is try.