Today we’d like to introduce you to Braden Erickson.
Hi Braden, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
For as long as I can remember, I have always loved creating. As a quiet, introverted kid, you could always find me doodling or building something with my hands in my room. My family still brags about my tape and paper Santa Claus ornament that I built around the age of 10, although I was more proud of the hundreds of different comic books I would make with my friends growing up, like Moony Moo and Squat Johnson (don’t ask). Art class was my favorite for all of my developing years. I was always good at drawing, sculpture came easy to me, and I could paint if I had to. I never thought I would be doing this as a career. My life and interest changed during my junior year in high school when they started offering graphic design electives. I took two of these classes (junior and senior year) on basic Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, and I was hooked. Being able to change images, design, and create digitally was – and still is, like magic to me. I was always nervous about pursuing an art career because I thought there would be no money. Graphic design was a more practical and safer career path than illustration or art history. For that reason, and the fact that I loved it, I decided to pursue graphic design at Keene State College in New Hampshire. Keene State College is a small liberal arts school in Keene, New Hampshire, with under 5,000 students; being a liberal arts school, students were required to take classes in all subjects, not just classes regarding their major. I did not love it at the time but looking back, I am glad I was taught about many subjects, from animation and film to printmaking and painting. Keene taught me the fundamentals of art and design before I knew I needed it. Throughout all college, whether or not I was in design classes at the time, I worked on projects and freelance designing for people. Junior year was when I started getting some recognition for projects. One was a tee shirt I designed for a friend of a friend that took me about 15 minutes. Looking back, I wish I had put more work into it, but the client was happy. The shirt ended up selling all over campus, to the point where I would see my design on people I didn’t even know. Another big opportunity came that same year while I was working at Price Chopper in Keene. An older gentleman came up to me during my shift and asked if I was a Keene State Student, to which I responded yes.
Long story short, the Vermont man was a semi-famous bodybuilder trying to set a world record for push-ups on top of pumpkins and asked me to design a poster for him. He said that his record attempt would be on the local news. I designed a large, high-quality poster for him out of pocket (spending much more than I could afford at the time) just for the possibility that my poster would be on the news. I did not ask him to pay me for it, and lo and behold, the poster made it on the local news channel and website. These design projects were big wins for me. In the following years, I would continue to push for projects. I worked on logos for local businesses, posters for people, album covers for musicians, including Henny Buckets (longtime creative collaborator and friend), and anything else I could get my hands on. I was not making much money from these projects, but I was actively working on my portfolio and showed potential and hunger that would help me land the job I have today. In early 2021, before graduating college, I was approached with a job opportunity through my sister, Imani, that would align me with my current mentor and friend, B. Thom Stevenson. B. Thom is a multifaceted artist who explores the intersections between subcultures by boiling down their artifacts to juxtapose them in visually impactful dialogues, pairing original and sourced materials to form a unique vocabulary. His practice uses language as imagery and pictures as tools of ambiguous stimuli for the viewer. He also founded the fashion and beverage company known as Miracle Seltzer. I started working as his studio assistant and would help him with small drawings or small tasks like cutting out images for collages or scanning. I would also help with small design tasks for Miracle Seltzer and was even lucky enough to go down to Virginia with the team and produce their first clothing collection. The more we worked together, the more responsibility I got in the studio. Helping on small tasks snowballed into working on full-sized paintings and picking up painting as my craft. In just a year or two, I feel as if I had gotten a master’s class in painting and even had my show at the gallery that B. Thom and I started: Paradise Gallery. We have shown many talented artists in the gallery, and I am honored to be one of them. I have gotten to work on some amazing things I would never have imagined. I used to think I had to pick between fine art and design, and now I am doing both. I would not be here if I didn’t have such amazing and supportive friends and family who always pushed me to pursue my creative dreams.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
It has only sometimes been a smooth road. Most of my struggles occurred in college, whether scrambling for rent money or working down to the wire on projects and finals. During my sophomore year of college, I considered quitting my major (graphic design) altogether. I lived in an on-campus suite with nine other friends and roommates. Many of which were business or safety majors. None of which were art or design majors (the closest one to that was an architect major). Living with all of these people, while fun, was also challenging because of our different workloads. At the time, I didn’t have all the programs I needed for my classes on my laptop, so I spent many late nights alone in the computer lab throughout college.
While I was doing this, my roommates had the luxury of working and studying in their rooms for the most part, which I envied. I envied my friends for having tests where there is a clear right or wrong, or black and white. Art and design are not black and white; there is so much room for interpretation and critique that to get graded on something so subjective can be challenging. At my lowest point, I struggled to keep up with multiple design classes and even had to drop/retake a couple. This was when I wanted to give up and had very emotional phone calls with my parents, who luckily reminded me that this is what I love to do and steered me back on track. The next couple of years of college were also a workload struggle in a different way. I was a full-time student working at a grocery store, trying to pay rent and still have a social life. I was working very hard and barely getting by, while some of my friends had no financial responsibility and could go out every night. This experience taught me so much about myself, and I would not change it. Some of my favorite projects have come from the worst financial or emotional times, and the final product makes it all worth it in the end.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a multimedia artist who specializes in painting and illustration. I am still working on my creative style and voice, but I’d say that people know me for a zine I produced last year or my crayon drawings. I am now starting to show myself to the world as a painter. I am proud of my oil paintings and small crayon or pastel drawings. I feel like my eye, and attention to detail is pretty solid. I love working small but am trying to push myself to work larger. What sets me apart from others is that I have a hand in all mediums and consider myself very versatile. From fine art to clothing production, to animation, photography, and even music – I feel like I can do it all. I also think as a person, I can sit in all different rooms with all different kinds of people and make things happen socially. Part of that comes from being multi-racial and throwing myself into different social settings, whether I’m comfortable or not. As much as I am an artist, I pride myself on just being a good person.
How would we have described you growing up if we knew you were growing up?
Growing up, I was always quiet and shy, especially if I didn’t know you. I have been called the loudest, quietest, most socially introverted person. I guess I’m an oxymoron. You probably would not think I’m quiet if I were close to you. I am blessed and cursed with a very loud and deep voice. Interest-wise, as stated earlier, I was always into art but did not take it too seriously until late high school/college. I was more into sports, specifically basketball. I started playing in eighth grade and have been in love ever since. Basketball’s relationship with music and culture still inspires me to this day, and I still love playing, but you’re more likely to find me golfing these days. I have always been an active person. Somewhat related to basketball, I have always loved sneakers and fashion. Collecting sneakers is an addiction that I am still fighting to this day, but I am much less into it than I used to be. Although, working for Miracle Seltzer has grown my tee shirt collection.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradensart/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradensart
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/brad3n98
