Romantic Realism, Whimsy and the Call of Nature
- Kristen Eisenbraun
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
Interview with Kristen Eisenbraun
1. Please tell us something about your background and your art journey so far.
As a homeschooled kid growing up on a secluded farm I had plenty of time to develop my artistic passion. I have drawn and painted my whole life but it was not my career path for quite a while. I went to Montana State University as an art student but I only made it one semester. After that I rambled about the West working as a wrangler on horse ranches. In the next chapter, I got my associates degree in automotive technology at a community college. After graduating I moved to Texas and worked as a Ferrari mechanic. Through all these adventures there was always something missing because I was not fulfilling my calling. I quit my job and lived in a small camper in National Forest land. All I did was paint. I realized that my work wasn’t quite at the level I wanted it to be so I moved to NYC and studied at New York Academy of Art. Since then I have lived in the Carolinas and done nothing but devote myself to drawing and painting.
2. Describe what a normal day looks like as an artist.
Typically I get up, have my coffee and exercise. If I have a painting on the easel I will start working on that after my exercise. If I am in between projects I may devote a couple hours to developing ideas and making some small sketches. I am a early riser so I have usually completed quite a bit of work by late afternoon. If my day has gone well I may try to squeeze in a hike. It is always invigorating to get out in nature as much as possible. I try to devote at least one day a week to office work as well. These are always my least favorite days.
3. Can you tell us more about the theme in your art and your inspiration?
Lately I have been calling my work romantic realism. It is somewhere between realism and surrealism and has a hint of fairytale to it. For as long as I can remember I have been enthralled by painting people. Today I combine my love for the human face and figure with other worldly landscapes. Each work has a story. That story Is different for every person who looks at a painting. I am always reluctant to tell my story because what the viewer thinks and feels is so much more important.
My goal is to bring whimsy and mysticism back into peoples lives. As well as, invoking their dormant connection with mother nature.
4. How does your art life impact other parts of your life?
These past few years have been a learning curve. My daughter is now 2 and I am figuring out how to balance my art career, caring for her and fixing up my ramshackle house. Sometimes I try too hard and get overwhelmed. I am discovering that I can’t do everything and I need to prioritize. Right now there is a very large pile of dirty dishes in the sink, because it is more important for me to get my next canvas gessoed then wash them. It’s a little embarrassing when the neighbors stop by unexpectedly but all we can do is our best.
5. Could you share any difficulties and hardships you had to face in life and how or if you managed/overcame them?
I struggle with severe dyslexia. When I was going through tests for college my reading and writing was at a third grade level. Because of this I was not able to cope with university work. And it is nearly impossible to work a normal job.
It seems that I see the world through different eyes than most people. I believe that is what leads to my clear artistic vision.
Although my dyslexia has been a challenge in many ways, without it I wouldn’t have lived as exciting of a life, or be the artist that I am today.
6. Tell us about your best experience in the art world so far.
My best experiences are always when I’m spending my time with other artists and fully immersed in the lifestyle. When I was studying art in New York or at an artist residency with other working artists.
7. Is the artist life lonely? Please share your thoughts and experience's
Being an artist can definitely be a solitary path in many ways. I have always been kind of a loaner so this doesn’t bother me. So long as I have someone in my life that I can discuss with and bounce ideas off of I am happy. In the future I would like to move to an area that has a larger artistic community. It is always so invigorating to be around like-minded artists.
8. What are you working on at the moment and are there any upcoming events you would like to talk about?
I am really excited about the body of work that I am currently creating! For sometime I have been experimenting with painting on musical instruments. I have done guitars, violins, and mandolins. But my favorite of all is the auto harp. It is a great shape for working with. They have a sound hole in the center that I illuminate with a small lightbulb and incorporate into the painting, often as a son or a moon. I am making a very cohesive series all on auto harps. Each painting has two lovers shown from the back staring off into a magical world. Some of the details from the antique instruments are carried over into the painting and each work is trimmed with lace. Some of these works are on my website and I have had a couple at shows. But, I am waiting till the series is done before they really enter the world. Stay tuned, and please sign up for my email newsletter on my website if you want to see the journey of this collection.
Website : https://www.kristeneisenbraun.com/
