The Neo Art Magazine

Brent Estabrook has always been fascinated by childhood whimsy, a consistent element throughout his oversized oil paintings of stuffed toys. Born in Arizona and later moving to Seattle, Mr. Brent Estabrook indeed went into the arts, although it was not his early expectations. Not only does he possess a Bachelor in Studio Arts from the University of Arizona, he is also a Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Louisville. Unlike most other professionals, it was actually while he was in dental school that he started to develop an interest in painting as a reprieve from his obviously increasing student debts, an interest that would lead him to a self-discovery journey like no other.

The imaginative works of Brent Estabrook tend to transport their audience into a tale filled with animated colors and the texture of tender soft-touch items. His canvasses are filled with a thick mixture of colors applied in brushstrokes that are ornamented giving an illusion of inner surfaces giving the audience the urge to even touch the subjects. His recent developments under ‘ Quilts” and “cRaZy stuFFed aniMALs” demonstrate precise working but with a child’s unchained exploration. The artist draws relativity of his works to a form of meditation and childlike uncontrolled movements and this strengthens the way he works as opposed to what he works on.

Brent Estabrook finds himself immersed in stuffed dolls and animals as such items can actively awaken sensations of comfort and nostalgia, which seem to remind the audience of the good old days full of imagination. He is able to portray his subjects by balancing between the two styles and garnishing his work with the sentiment tied to the subjects. Urging everyone to be aware of these rather mundane looking but very thoughtful objects: Brenda Estabook wants to help everyone retrieve the long lost pleasure in being a child again (of course in a playful manner).

Besides his one man shows at Long Beach Museum of Art in the USA and in sub-continent, his shows in Switzerland, artist Brent Estabrook is yet to disappoint audiences anywhere. He has been present at the most prominent art fairs such as Art basel in Miami and therefore secured his stake in the art world. More recently, interactive plush toys designed by Brent Estabrook have appeared among his works, including the cute cushion doll Smiles based on his character. This line also enables Estabrook to combine high art with lowly art and make his works more democratic and more inviting for the public and better able to provide art to their daily lives in new forms.

While speaking with Sreerupa Sil regarding current issues and features in Arts for The Neo Art Magazine, Brent Estabrook explains his development as an artist, the principles underlying the series of works under discussion, and finally, the excitement art provides in mundane instants in life. He encourages elimination of such fear in being creative, appreciating one’s curiosity, and illustrates how such combinations, such as from dental school to an art studio, influence one’s artistic identity. To be in ordinary life, Brent Estabrook seeks that people find the beauty in simple things and treat life the way, which can be portrayed in his artwork.

Sreerupa

Your work has transitioned through various styles, from realism to hyperrealism, and now to your current series of stuffed animals and quilts. Can you elaborate on the evolution of your artistic style and how these transitions have influenced your current body of work?

Brent Estabrook

My artistic style is always evolving! I know it’s going to keep changing and evolving as I grow as an artist, because I’ve seen it happen before in my work and I know that change leads me to more interesting, creative, and inspired places in my work. Essentially, I started out painting subjects that existed in the real world that you and I live in. Skulls, currency, stuffed animals, and they were all painted from reference photos. But after a few years of realism and hyperrealism, my Creativity began to feel stifled and I just had to trust that feeling and stop, even though it was very popular and what I was known for.

With the Quilts, cRaZy Quiles, and cRaZy stuFFed aniMALs series that came next, it felt like an opportunity for me to create from pure imagination rather than reality. No reference photo, no need for the subject matter to have any basis in this world we live in, no limits on my Creativity. It was so liberating, freeing myself from rules like that. I could paint the wackiest things that to me felt very real. That’s when I really got into “painting in the moment.” No rules, just pure, unlimited creativity. Things I would have before considered mistakes instead became perfect reflections of the moment on the canvas. When I reflect on how my work has changed and evolved, I get really excited to see where my Creativity will take me next!

Sreerupa

Your work is often described as embodying a childlike sense of joy and curiosity. How do you channel the playful energy of childhood into your art?

Brent Estabrook

I think being blessed with a really great childhood was part of it, childhood memories are full of joy for me. I’m also an authentically positive person so it comes naturally to cultivate positivity on a creative level. Another important piece of it is actually seeing and interacting with people who are experiencing the joy of my paintings and feeling that playful energy being transmitted through my work. That part is just magic. But ultimately, it’s that kind of divine energy that is Creativity to me. I often say that I’m not entirely in control of what I’m painting, I just follow my Creativity and paint what it calls me to paint. I have certain daily practices that are crucial to keeping my connection to Creativity open and flowing like meditation, gratitude journaling, and healthy physical habits.

Sreerupa

Can you share more about the moment when your niece and nephew inspired the “Stuffed Animal Piles” series and how this has impacted your work?

Brent Estabrook

Definitely! It happened on an afternoon with my niece and nephew actually, who were 5 and 7 at the time. It was a year after I graduated from dental school and they were showing me all their stuffed animals, running back and forth from their bedroom to the living room and throwing stuffed animal after stuffed animal onto a pile. Artistically, I remember looking down and thinking, this is very interesting, the colors, the textures, etc. but what hit me on a deeper level was what they were feeling. There was so much joy, love, and passion just radiating from them, I could tell they were having the time of their life. It is that passion, that joy that I realized I wanted to instill in my art.

These positive emotions of joy, wonder, happiness, playfulness, passion, and love are so powerful and I think that as adults we tend to lose some of that, especially the joy, playfulness, and unfiltered wonder and passion for life that we had as kids. I wanted my art to remind all of us, kids and grown ups alike, of that passion. I wanted to create art that above all, inspired joy.

Sreerupa

Your background in dental surgery seems to have influenced your meticulous approach to painting. How does your experience as a dental surgeon inform your artistic techniques, particularly in terms of precision and brushwork?

Brent Estabrook

I never actually practiced dentistry, but dental school was so academically rigorous that it gave me an incredible foundation for pushing through discomfort or tedium to get to the end result. A lot of the techniques I used in the beginning of my career, like my velvet plush technique, were incredibly challenging and time consuming. I think that dental school absolutely gave me the focus and grit I needed to execute those incredibly complex paintings. As I grow and evolve though, my strict adherence to precision and meticulousness has also changed. I’ve learned to let go of perfectionism and embrace moments on the canvas.

Sreerupa

Balancing commercial success with artistic integrity can be challenging. How do you navigate this balance in your career?

Brent Estabrook

It’s maybe not a concrete answer, but I simply follow my Creativity. I don’t create for the market, I create what satisfies my Creativity and what brings me joy. It hasn’t led me wrong yet! In fact, it’s been in the pivotal moments when I could have produced a work of art that was in line with collector expectations or do something different, and I chose to create something different that have brought me the most commercial success.

Sreerupa

What challenges did you face when transitioning from a traditional career path in dentistry to becoming a full-time artist, and how did you overcome them?

Brent Estabrook

I had a lot of support, first off, from my parents. They wanted me to be secure and successful, but they also wanted to see me happy so that was a big piece of overcoming expectations is that there were some that I never had to overcome alone. Other challenges, like insane student debt, I channeled into my art and used it to grow my career. I think also it occurred me to pretty early on that in order to be successful as an artist I was going to have to do two things: be incredibly self-motivated and look at art as a business. Tapping into the less tangible lessons from dental school and the power of social media and building a team has helped me a lot as my career has grown.

Sreerupa

What new themes or directions are you excited to explore in your upcoming works? Are there any particular subjects or techniques that you are currently experimenting with or plan to delve into in the near future?

Brent Estabrook

I’m really excited about painting more nature-inspired paintings, like gardens, parks, rivers, that kind of thing. I’m actually in Switzerland right now for a solo show with The Maddox Gallery and I’m surrounded by nature. I love it. I also launched a fine art-inspired luxury plushie line this summer with my personal symbols, Smiles, the pink and green teddy bear with an upside down face as the first release. That’s a really exciting project too since we’re going to keep creating new plushies inspired by my cRaZy stuFFed aniMALs series and different colored releases of Smiles. It’s really opened up so much potential as to the positive impact and joy I’m able to spread in the world.

Sreerupa

Your mission as an artist is to inspire and elicit positive visceral reactions from your viewers.  Can you share any memorable reactions or feedback from viewers that have particularly resonated with you and influenced your approach to creating art?

Brent Estabrook

I’m doing a solo show with Maddox Gallery right now in Gstaad, Switzerland and the other day a little boy and his mom came in. This kid was maybe 3 or 4, but he was an old soul. He was asking me all kinds of questions like, “Why does this painting have squares?” or “Why did you paint this one’s face upside down?” and they were in there for maybe twenty minutes, but when they were finished the little boy says to me, “You know, you’re a really good artist.” And it’s moments like that that mean so much to me. I’ve always said that when kids like, or even better, when they actually engage with my artwork, it’s a huge sign that I’m on the right track. Very reaffirming.