Brynn Gerl
Oil paintings exploring the space
between reality and the unconscious
STORY
I'm a multidisciplinary artist and designer from Eugene, Oregon. My practice investigates the unconscious conditions through which art is created. Through painting, I explore the relationship between emotion, perception, and the act of making itself, questioning how works can embody emotional states beyond immediate experience and conscious language.
STUDY
I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where direct engagement with the museum's historical collection became an essential part of my education. Continued study in Florence, Italy, at Lorenzo de' Medici deepened my understanding of Renaissance painting techniques, traditional oil methods, and the relationship between technical discipline and artistic expression.
TECHNIQUE
My painting process combines traditional oil painting methods with an intuitive approach to color and composition. Beginning with classical underpainting techniques, each work gradually moves from careful observation toward intuitive abstraction, exploring the relationship between structure, emotion, and discovery.
Originals
Oil on canvas, 36in × 48 in
This painting speaks to the space between existence, the eerie calmness that exists in the after. This is the part of the story in which, once the action has passed, there is a moment to breathe, reflect, and sit in the stillness, everything around him sitting still with him. This is a dream space, starting with the eye of the storm, the figure floating in or out of, we're not sure. Only the in between. This painting is a reminder of the ebb and flow of life, to not attempt to control what we can't. We are simply floating along for the ride.
Inspired by Oregon's old-growth forests, "Shimmer" embodies the soul of the woods and the quiet magic that comes alive when walking through them. The river brings life and color, while the distant waterfall remains mysterious and vague, inviting a sense of wonder.
Oil on canvas, 29 × 40 in
Il mio cortile, "my backyard," speaks to my time living in Italy. The vibrant, colorful houses and the surge of energy I felt for that beautiful city were strongest not while I was there, but when I came back to the dull concrete highways of the United States. This piece reminds us to never take what we have for granted, something as simple as your backyard may be a fantasy of someone else's.
This piece follows the footsteps of one women. A meditation to walk with purpose and meaning. In reality you might not see each step, but when zoomed out, it is a blur of dance.
Paintings
Oil Painting, Acrylic Painting, Murals
