Today we’d like to introduce you to Britt Fabello.
Hi Britt, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Art has been deeply rooted in me through most of my life, starting as a kid who would sit in her bedroom closet with a sketchbook to pass the time. It is the most honest way that I know how to live and express myself. Growing up isolated in a small town in central Massachusetts, I wasn’t sure what it meant to pursue art as a career though. And because of that—along with my brain’s battle between being logical and passionate—my story as an artist is long and winding and veers off course at points.
This internal struggle showed itself in many ways. I spent years bouncing between the logic (that was linked to the fear that being an artist wasn’t a sustainable means of living) and the passion of knowing art was all that made sense to me in this wild world. I went off to school to study studio art at the University of Southern Maine but from there I transferred to Montserrat College of Art to change my major to graphic design, moved to Boston to take on a freelance design career, and then started an illustration-focused paper goods company. Even though I was using all my strength to run away from the direction of being an artist, I could never completely shake it off. Eventually, I gave in and closed my paper goods company, quit my freelancing career, and landed myself back where I always belonged—as an artist. I sometimes say it was like coming full circle, but it feels much deeper (and messier) than that.
The shift from design to art happened in 2018 while I was living in London. After a few years of living abroad and doing extensive traveling, my inspiration was overflowing. I felt an organic pull back to my art practice.
Beginning again felt like I was starting from scratch on how to be an artist. It had been some time since I got my hands dirty with charcoal or paint. I took small steps and gradually grew into my artist self again. Things soon began to feel natural. I was back in my happy flow of creating. I started pushing myself within that and experimenting with sewing into my drawings and paintings. Sewing—adding texture—to my work was the final key to finding my footing. My work finally felt like it was a true expression of who I am and how I see the world. I have followed this path since, spending my days in the studio working to translate the images swirling through my head out into the world in front of me. To communicate visually in my own individualistic way.
I left London in late 2019 to move back to the states. First, to Boston for a brief stint and then to Portland, ME for a couple of years. Now I find myself in Los Angeles since early October 2022.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I feel like I am my own biggest obstacle. Even with every part of me aching to be an artist, it is clear in my story how hard it was for me to accept art as my path in life. The logical side of my brain had trouble breaking past the barriers of just how tough it is to support yourself as an artist. It was very important to me to be able to stand on my own two feet after graduation—there wasn’t much choice for me otherwise. I don’t regret my path for that reason, I would have had to work outside of my art practice either way, but I am happy to be where I am now. Each year I get surer footed, and I know I could never live any other way.
Even after making the commitment to art fully, the road hasn’t been smooth. It’s not easy to constantly put yourself out there through such a vulnerable means of expression every day and be judged for it. Though my artwork has familiar forms for the viewer to grab onto, it is very much an emotional and meditative release for me. It is strange to constantly release that out in the world. To be rejected or accepted by it. I try to keep focused and grounded in my practice without letting anything steer me away from its true essence though. Otherwise, I would find myself unfulfilled again.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?I create artwork that thoughtfully combines inward and outward energy to express myself as a reflective being. Using emotionally drawn inner releases and nods to environmental forms, the work intentionally slows the creative process down to inspire a meditative practice.
My art practice has taken on many shapes through different mediums throughout the years but the most constant is my hand-sewn forms. Sewing has been my artist mark. I am proud to be one of the artists leading the way in using thread as a medium in my studio. Most know me for my Places series work which started in 2018 and continues to this day. In between those, I explore more mixed-media work—seeing how I can bring different textures into my pieces. Most often the texture remains linked to thread, but I recently created pieces in that I used a needle to hand-poke holes through paper. It created this beautiful tactile surface. My goal is to continue to explore more and to keep pushing the boundaries by combining these different and unique mediums.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People who are interested can visit my online shop where I sell most of my work. There are also often pieces that can be purchased through galleries I am affiliated with. All the pieces through those outlets are ones that have already been made. From time to time, I open commission spots for people who are interested in work that is a particular size or to collaborate on an idea for new work. Otherwise, joining me on social media and showing my work to your own circles is the best way!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://brittfabello.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittfabello/
