Artist Statement
Despite my lifelong difficulty in connecting with others, I have always been drawn to the only subject that I find worthwhile. Primarily, people. My art has been an invaluable means by which to begin to understand myself and others, as well as provide precious opportunities to form relationships. I paint with oils in a fusion of classical and contemporary techniques and work to merge the timeless painting tradition with visual and thematic concepts relevant to a current audience. Through these explorations and experimentations, I’ve developed my own language that I use to scratch the surface of the complex, oft-contradictory human condition and the collective story of humanity. Humans have been and will always be human, and despite the hurt we give and receive, I want to create images that draw us to each other in an increasingly divided age.
Braydon Letsinger is a contemporary oil painter from Rockford, Illinois. Originally pursuing a career path in criminal justice, his plans changed when he felt called to formally use and pursue his gifts of art-making. However, the cultural and philosophical contrast between the world in which he was raised and the art world, along with the nature of art making, causes conflict and contradictory inner dialogue in the artist’s mind. These themes of inner conflict and trying to grasp the unseen struggles of our shared experience are what he finds most poignant. He explores these concepts in both the composition and construction of his pieces – combining traditional, realistic portraiture with geometric, abstract patterns in conjunction with contemporary materials like holographic film, fluorescent paint, and aluminum panels.