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The Artistic Odyssey of Brent Estabrook: From Dental Surgery to Buttery Teddy Bears | Exclusive Interview
In this exclusive interview with renowned artist Brent Estabrook, we delve into his fascinating journey from a childhood filled with artistic encouragement to a successful career as a full-time artist. Brent shares insights into his upbringing in a supportive and loving environment near Seattle, where rainy days fostered his creativity and laid the foundation for his future in art.
He also discusses his unique transition from earning a Doctorate in Dental Surgery to pursuing his true passion for painting. Brent’s distinctive focus on vibrant, textured depictions of stuffed animals, his innovative techniques, and the profound influence of meditation and mindfulness on his creative process provide a captivating glimpse into the life and mind of this inspiring artist.
Can you tell our readers about your childhood, family, and the environment you grew up in? Were you an artistic child?
I was blessed with a really great childhood. I grew up in a fun neighborhood filled with lots of kids, had a great school, and my parents loved me and each other. They were always very supportive and they nurtured my artistic talents and enrolled me in extra art classes. All of that joy, love, and support deeply influenced my outlook on life now as an adult and an artist.
And since I grew up just outside of Seattle, the weather was, of course, always raining and I spent a lot of time inside. I was definitely creative, which I believe was a foundation for my art to express itself more fully later.
Your journey from a Doctorate in Dental Surgery to a full-time artist is quite unique. Can you share more about the moment you realized you wanted to pursue art professionally?
I have always loved art. I actually got my undergraduate degree in fine art and a minor in chemistry. But the moment that I realized I wanted to pursue art professionally was in the final year of dental school, when I was almost exclusively doing practical work in dental offices and I realized that no matter how I felt personally about dentistry, my patients hated visits. No one likes going to the dentist.
Going into the office every day felt very heavy, negative, and limiting, I knew if that’s how I was feeling before I’d even graduated, I needed to either prepare for an entire career where I dreaded going to work every day or choose another career.
I thought about the joy and creativity I experienced when creating art and it was something like an intuitive flash. I just knew in that moment that I wanted to spend my life doing something that I loved, something that made me happy. I knew then that it would never be practicing dentistry and that art was the calling I would devote my life to pursuing.
Your paintings are renowned for their textured and vivid depiction of stuffed animals. What inspired you to choose this particular subject matter for your artwork?
About a year after I graduated dental school, I was spending an afternoon with my niece and nephew actually, who were 5 and 7 at the time, and they were showing me all their stuffed animals and throwing them into a pile. Artistically, I remember looking down and thinking, this is very interesting, the colors, the textures, etc. but what hit me on a deeper level was what they were feeling.
There was so much joy, love, and passion just radiating from them, I could tell they were having the time of their life. It is that passion, that joy that I realized I wanted to instill in my art.
Having a childlike sense of joy and wonder is so powerful and honestly very underrated. I am a big believer that as adults we can continue to choose that life, fully engaged and passionate about the life we live, but we have to consciously choose it. It does not come as naturally anymore. I wanted to instill that sense of play in my art and my life and in the lives of my collectors and their families.
The textures in your paintings are often described as buttery and richly pigmented. Can you explain your method for achieving such a lush and tactile quality in your work?
I was always influenced early on by the impressionists… Van Gogh, Monet… I loved work that when you saw it in person, you could feel it, you could sense each brushstroke and I really wanted to pursue that in my own art.
My technique is first, to use a ton of paint. The color mixing is incredibly important to my process. I cannot underestimate that, the color and color mixing. I never use a color straight out of the tube.
But, the texture is built from layering, building and building layer after layer of impasto, wet on wet. It creates a roundness and depth that is much more immersive than simply using shadows and highlights.
Lately I’ve been exploring what it looks like to not use this kind of heavy texture throughout a painting, and instead let “moments” in the initial layers show through. A hint of gesso there, a place where you can see the very first pencil marks or a drip of mineral spirits created during the light layer… It’s allowing me to explore a whole new expression of my work creatively and also showcasing more moments in the process itself. I’m loving it.
Meditation and mindfulness play a significant role in your art-making process. How do these practices impact your creative workflow and the final outcome of your paintings?
Meditation, breathwork, exercise, good diet, healthy body and mind – this is what allows me to be an open channel for creativity. The better I care for my body and mind, the more easily I can tap into that conduit for infinite potential. I see creativity very much like a divine force that I still do not quite understand. But, I respect it!
These practices influence the final outcome of paintings in an infinite amount of ways. Sometimes I will be inspired to paint a particular background based on what I observed in nature that day or I’ll feel inspired to challenge myself with a new approach. It’s always different, but meditation and mindfulness help me trust my intuition and the process.
Also, positive thinking and meditating on positive internal thoughts has allowed me to be a more genuinely grateful person, which allows me to create from a place of joy. Then that joy is transmitted into the painting for my viewers and collectors, who are then hopefully inspired to do something that brings them joy to themselves and others. It’s a ripple effect, and ultimately, how I bring more joy, inspiration, and positivity into the world.
Looking ahead, are there any new themes or techniques you are eager to explore in your future projects? How do you see your art evolving in the next few years?
I’m launching an art-inspired luxury plushie line this summer! One of the most special things about my art is that it really speaks to both kids and the inner child in grown ups. It inspires joy and wonder, and so many other positive emotions. So I decided to take my personal symbol “Smiles”, a pink and green teddy bear with an upside down face, and create a real life plushie. I was heavily involved in the design process and it was so much fun that I thought, why not create more plushies from other paintings I’ve done?
Smiles is the first and will be released this July, both online and in person at a Pop-Up at Westfield Century City in LA, where we are going to have other “Smiles” collectibles, prints, and even a claw machine, where you can get your own “Smiles” plushie! “Smiles”s message is “Different is Good!” and each plushie that comes after will have its own unique and inspirational message, plus a portion of the profits will go to a nonprofit that supports arts education for kids.
It’s exciting because it opens up so many possibilities for me to play with my creativity and at the same time to make a positive impact in the world.
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Interview organized by Maximus Communications. The World Art News (WAN) is not liable for the content of this publication. All statements and views expressed herein are opinions only. Act at your own risk. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. © The World Art News
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