Rising Stars: Meet Brittany Kiertzner

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Kiertzner.

Hi Brittany, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a mixed media and textile fine artist originally from Upland, California. I have a diverse heritage as an enrolled member of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe in Northern New York. This relational background has influenced my work early on and was honed during my study of fine art at California State University, Fullerton.

My artistic exploration revolves around a profound engagement with critical materials that allow me to reframe my personal history within the contemporary context. Through the intricate interplay of woven and stitched threads, my work draws inspiration from the traditional craft forms of Mohawk Iroquois splint basket making and embroidery. Themes of regeneration, authenticity, and the subversion of materials form the crux of my creative expression, reflecting a deep dive into the layers of history and tradition that shape my identity.

Since 2007, I have had the privilege of showcasing my mixed media and textile-based work in solo and juried exhibitions across California. Currently, my studio home base is in Claremont, and my recent body of work speaks about the inherent vulnerability of life and death for the next generation of Indigenous women.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My life has faced challenges but my focus is always on healing and connecting that process to the work. In my recent sculpture titled, Satahseht/ Hide Yourself, I am describing in an abstract sense the pain of loss and insecurity that the next generation of Indigenous women face. And how they are part of the inevitable social pressures moving disintegration and impermanence.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am known for my linear symmetry. Across my body of work I have been creating in straight lines that build upon themselves. I am also known for often experimenting with critical materials that achieve this look. More recently — I am working primarily in fiber. I am creating large-scale, three-dimensional works of abstract embroidery. They are unique in how they transcend the boundaries of traditional stitching. I prefer to think that I am creating worlds in themselves that are imaginative and emotional. They feel dynamic in person and have a quality that paint can’t achieve as the interplay of threads, optical mixing of colors, and textures reveals movement. Over time, patterns emerge and feel animated, similar to the lenticular effect. They develop very slowly over time and I don’t ever delete as I build. What emerges feels sculptural and tends to explore unique nestlike or womblike shapes.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t feel that luck has played a role in my progress so far. I have a strong drive to create work and work ethic to the extent that I start my day very early every day to create. I also have a lot of obstacles that might interfere but am fully committed to the work. At the moment I have three young children that are five years and under, so I make sacrifices with my time to prioritize what I want to accomplish. In my sculpture, Thatesato:tat/ Be Quiet, I discuss feelings about how Indigenous women may exist in a sense of place and purpose. How one might abstractly show how imperfections, physical trauma, and resiliency may transform.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.brittanykiertznerfineart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittanykiertznerfineart/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brittanykiertznerfineart/featured
• Other: https://www.artsy.net/artist/brittany-kiertzner