We’re looking forward to introducing you to Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Isaac, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Who are you learning from right now?
I’ve just finished Mary Gabriel’s “Ninth Street Women,” telling the stories of five incredible women in the male-dominated world of twentieth-century abstract painting, and have now started Margaret Stohl’s “Super Visible,” which celebrates the women who helped make Marvel one of the most successful comics and entertainment companies in the world. I’m a big believer in reading – in filling my head with ideas and using them as inspiration for my work. And the more I read about women in the art world, the more I realize how much was left out in my art history classes. So right now, I guess I’m learning about women from women.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’ve been reading comics for almost 50 years, cutting paper for about 30, and putting the two of them together for the past 15. My papercuts explore the role of narrative in the development and expression of identity; I layer in cut-up comic books to draw parallels between comic book mythologies and religious traditions, to delve into the stories that make us human. I work in paper because I like its fragility and its place as our primary medium for telling and sharing stories across generations; it is both ephemeral and constant.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
There’s an incredible song by Ookla the Mok called “Super Powers.” Yes, I’m a big nerd, but it really does encapsulate how I feel about my work and my passion. “I got bitten by a radioactive bug / I tried an experimental drug / I went out for a stroll on a gamma testing range / … / I’m gonna put on my pajamas and go fight crime.” Becoming an artist was, for me, about recognizing the power I had, and it genuinely makes me feel strong – like I’ve discovered my purpose. And there’s nothing like the feeling I get standing at the oversize table here in my studio and really getting into the process of making art. Listening to my music turned up high, bouncing on the balls of my feet, and assembling these stories from my childhood comic book collection.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I’m going to flip this question on its head, and reference comic book super hero Green Lantern. Fear doesn’t have to be something that holds you back – it’s not the opposite of courage. Fear is the thing that tells me I’m doing something new and dangerous and interesting – it’s like a signpost telling me what direction to head in. As Ben Folds says in his song “Do It Anyway,” “…If you’re paralyzed by a voice in your head / it’s the standing still that should be scaring you instead. / Go on and do it anyway.”
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I hope it’s obvious to my friends what matters to me: my family, my art and my people. My family give me the strength and inspiration to make my art, and I hope my art gives strength and inspiration to my people. I’m fairly sure that’s the order I’ve lived in, and the order my friends would see in my life.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope my happiness comes through – that my joy in the life I’ve built is obvious. I hope people say that I was someone who pursued those things that were important to me, and that I achieved what I pursued, and was happy with who I was. I believe there’s so much that comes from “doing the work” – of committing to what you want and making it happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.NiceJewishArtist.com
- Instagram: nicejewishartist
