Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryan Larsen.
Hi Bryan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always loved to draw, but I took a pretty round-about path to making a living as an artist.
Out of high school, I briefly studied Children’s Book Illustration, then worked as a custom cabinet maker while my wife finished her degree. I went back to school, this time studying Mechanical Engineering…but halfway through the program paintings started to sell, and I made the decision to pursue an art career full time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely been a bumpy road! Income from art sales can vary considerably from year to year, and especially in the early years, I went back to cabinet making occasionally to make ends meet. I was incredibly fortunate to have a partner who was supportive, and whose job provided some financial stability in lean art years as well as benefits like health insurance.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve always been drawn to subjects that celebrates human beauty and achievement…but I really feel like I found my calling painting themes of curiosity, imagination, and optimism about the future.
I am probably best known for painting children in idyllic future settings or engaged in play imagining themselves in the future. My goal is not to paint science fiction, but to use the visual language of rockets and space exploration to say something about the human drive to explore, and to learn about our world and our place in it.
My use of traditional materials and techniques to paint future-oriented subjects is fairly unique and mirrors my love of juxtaposing technology and feats of engineering with natural beauty.
I’m also known for taking familiar narratives such as the story of Icarus, and giving them a more optimistic, spin…celebrating human ingenuity, creativity, and perseverance rather than fate or futility.
I’ve taken to calling my work ‘Classical Optimism’
Classical Optimism:
A humanist artistic movement that finds beauty not only in the human form and the natural world, but also in humanity’s creativity, curiosity, and drive to explore and understand the universe and our place in it. Classical Optimism blends the aesthetics and techniques of classical representational traditions with an intentional use of stylization, aiming to capture the feel of a moment rather than merely record its likeness. It honors the achievements of the past, seeks what is beautiful in the present, and looks toward the future with hope and anticipation.
What’s next?
Now that I’m finally beginning to feel some clarity around why I’m drawn to these subjects…I am very much looking forward to leaning in to Classical Optimism with full intention. I want to continue to inspire optimism about possible futures out among the stars…as well as call attention to the incredibly beautiful planet we already call home.
I have several ideas for paintings that I would love to paint on a large scale, and am working to find patrons who share my love of humanity and vision for the future who are willing to help make these paintings possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bryanlarsen.com/
- Instagram: @bryanlarsenfineart
- Twitter: @bryanlarsenarts
