We had the good fortune of connecting with Bria Bodine and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bria, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve grown up with art. My mom was an abstract artist and my dad was a black and white landscape photographer. I was raised to admire art and artists so it was natural to be drawn to it! Art is meant to be shared and I wanted to turn mine into something others could enjoy! I would love to see my work not just framed on walls but shared through daily living on wallpaper, clothing, textiles… Functional art is where it’s at for me!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Currently, I’m working mostly with watercolor and ink but I’ve worked with all kinds of mediums in the past. I feel like the world of art is full of shiny things that are constantly distracting me (in a good way) and I want to try them all! I don’t know that I’ve come across a medium I wasn’t interested in trying. What I love about watercolor is that it forces me to not be in complete control. Touching color to water and watching it work its magic and evolve is so mesmerizing. It’s not just me creating, it’s the paint and I creating together.

Was it easy to get to where I am today? That’s not really a yes or no answer! I’m still going, and constantly growing and learning. I don’t really know what the end goal is yet or if there should be an end goal when it comes to an art career. It’s a balancing act of creating for myself and creating art that others will enjoy as well. Right now I’d love to share my art through daily living; home decor, wallpaper, fabric, and clothing!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So basically a week-long Boise date! We would spend a good amount of time downtown for sure. There area always weekend events going on and this time of year a hockey game would definitely be on the itinerary! The Grove plaza is a favorite spot of mine to restaurant hop for drinks and appetizers! We’d have to pop into Freak Ally while we’re there, too, and check out the current (and long standing) street art murals. We’d having to hike the foothills, of course, and catch a concert at one of Boise’s incredible venues (the Botanical Gardens are my favorite)!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I guess I already kind of gave them a shoutout but I’ll do it again! It all started with my parents! They’re they reason I have appreciated artists from an early age and continued to appreciate and love the arts into my adulthood!

Instagram: @reneebriadesign

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