Brandi Otieno is from St. Paul Minnesota where she lives with her husband and cat, Lucy. As a child, she taught herself to draw from art instruction books she found at local libraries focusing on wildlife and nature as her inspiration. This led her to develop an awareness of environmentalism and later social justice issues.
In the past, Brandi took art classes through now closed art gallery Nature’s Pallett in Hastings, MN where she learned to incorporate color into her drawing with pastel pencils. She briefly went to art college in San Francisco learning the fundamentals of art before returning to Minnesota to focus on liberal arts college. Since obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Brandi has been working in social services related to mental health, housing, and employment services.
More recently, Brandi has taken classes through The Art Academy in St. Paul practicing pen, ink and watercolor. Presently, she is learning via virtual courses during the pandemic focusing on alla prima with oil paints. Brandi finds mixing bright colors and expressive brushstrokes to be fascinating and calming.
INSPIRATION
My inspiration comes from many places but primarily I draw upon my lifelong fascination with the natural world and places I’ve visited including the many nearby parks. I’m a prolific snap-shot photo taker using recent and sometimes even decades old photos to reflect on past memories and feelings before creating a new piece. Often, my artwork turns out more vivid and colorful reflecting my positive recollections or present in the moment viewpoints. I’m happiest when mixing colors whether layering pastels, running vibrant watercolors through water soluble ink, or mixing oils on a palette. I’m grateful to have the sensory capacity to observe the colorful world of every day life and honored to express my perceptions through visual art.
