(Against the Wind, Acrylic, 35”x50” by J.M. Brodrick)

A common refrain rings throughout the art world in the form of advice given to artists by teachers and non-teachers alike: “Create for yourself,” or “Be true to yourself and your vision.” As esteemed painter and teacher Robert Henri instructed his pupils at the Art Students League in New York, “Blunder ahead with your own personal view” (The Art Spirit, p.128). In other words, don’t paint what you believe others want to see or will sell or how others paint. You do you. Such a wise and somewhat idealistic message resonates with many, especially young and emerging artists, for it is one of hope and assurance. Problems occur, however, when, after years of dedicated struggle in pursuit of this “personal view,” the artist finds no one is yet buying or representing his or her work, which may cause that person to question its integrity and value as well as the pursuit of the artistic path itself. 

The idea of pursuing one’s vision regardless of public opinion or reception of the artwork produced appears to set artistic practice apart from other practices that most value how the product will be received in order to move it. In the rhetorical tradition that instructs one in the art of persuasion, audience analysis is a fundamental early move in designing one’s argument. Basic questions about the audience include: Who, specifically, is it? Through what means can I best connect with them? What is their psychological profile? What is their sociological profile? What is the context in which my intended audience is situated? 

Since images, and not only advertisements but also paintings, can be understood as arguments, why shouldn’t audience analysis play a role in artistic production? If you doubt that a painting can be construed as an argument in the first place, consider how painters deliberately compose paintings to direct the viewer’s gaze or select a particular color scheme to evoke a specific mood or feeling on behalf of the viewer. If the audience responds in a way that accords with the artist’s intent, has it not been persuaded by the work of art?

Bend artist J.M. Brodrick addresses this issue of audience analysis, I believe, in her exquisitely rendered acrylic paintings of forests, city scenes, birds, animals and people – basically anything that she chooses to paint or that her audience asks her to paint. Self-described as “a painter working towards merging my need for realism with the beauty of pure abstraction,” Brodrick’s artworks are housed in several impressive permanent collections and collected worldwide (jmbrodrick.com). The artist’s description of herself clearly defines her project, one that she has relentlessly pursued upon retiring from the commercial insurance industry in which she worked for 37 years. 

In the following interview, Brodrick explains her artistic project and reveals her business acumen informed by her many years as an insurance agent with respect to the ever-changing art market. 

Ken: I understand you began your pursuit of art early in life. Can you describe your beginnings?

J.M.: My grandmother was a professional artist from Helsinki, Finland, and she guided my love of the arts. She grew up in a working artist environment, helped me connect with other artists and shaped me at an early age to express myself with painting. My real passion, however, is music, particularly opera. In high school I was in the orchestra and played concert bass. When I turned eighteen, I had to make a decision: art or music? Since I needed money, I chose insurance and decided to do art on the side, which eliminated the need to practice with an orchestra. Painting is rather self-sufficient in this respect.

In 1977, I moved to Fairbanks, Alaska and worked at a brokerage firm. I lived off the grid with no electricity or plumbing. My son and I hauled our own water. I taught art classes in the local community and continued my pursuit of painting. The solitude, rugged lifestyle and freedom of the open country nurtured my art and offered a good way to live. 

Ken: How is this freedom and solitude reflected in your art?

J.M.: What draws me to art is the freedom. You can do whatever you want. There are very few areas of life in which you have complete freedom. As a realistic painter there are rules to follow, but then you can break the rules, for example by combining realism with pure abstraction. I enjoy the challenge of envisioning a piece and the struggle of pulling it off. 

Ken: Can you describe your process?

J.M.: I came from the world of watercolor and then in 1971 began working in acrylics. Back in the day, I made detailed drawings, explored a color layout in sketch paintings and then moved onto linen for the final image. It was a long and arduous process. Today, I explore possibilities on the computer; I do layouts, value studies and add color in Photoshop. Once I’ve arrived at a complete conception of the image, I dive into the final painting, eventually reaching a point where I put the reference photo away and go for it. 

Once the painting is complete or nearly so, I create thumbnails of it with photographs, small reductions of the larger image, to see if the composition works. I also paint with a huge mirror behind me so that I can look at the image in reverse, which jumbles up the mind, thus divorcing oneself from the reality of the image and allowing an assessment of its pure design. 

Ken: Can you speak to the ways in which your work as a commercial insurance agent informs your art?

J.M.: Well, I’m very competitive and consider my painting career as a business. I spend one week each month on product development. I keep Excel records on myself and on other artists. I need to know who is selling, what they are selling and where I rank among my peers. I track trends and review the data I collected once a year in March, which helps me develop my business plan for that year. I also make cold calls to between twenty-five and fifty galleries nationwide in March. Some are interested, and some hang up. Social Media like Facebook and Instagram are wonderful because I get to see more people’s work than ever before, and I learn so much.

I’m currently in seven galleries, and certain galleries want certain pictures. A gallery might say, “We want more paintings like you made two years ago,” and although it’s hard to repeat oneself, sometimes I have to be repetitive because it’s a job. Only 10 to 20 percent of the art I make comes from my own desires, and I consider these competition pieces. The remaining percentage of my time is spent creating work that will satisfy others.

Most importantly, as artists, we need to evolve. The second you stop evolving, you’re flat. Time is the most valuable thing we have, and we have to protect it. At almost 67 years old, I’m steadily and happily painting away because that’s what I love to do. It’s a good path. 

Ken: A very enlightening interview full of sage advice, J.M. Thank you!

To view the art of J.M. Brodrick, please visit Rimrock Gallery in Prineville or her website, jmbrodrick.com.