Brendan Kramp on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Brendan Kramp and have shared our conversation below.

Brendan, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Who are you learning from right now?
I’ve been taking classes on Thursday evenings since last year from a nationally renowned plein air painter in St. Paul, MN who is teaching me all about the teachings of Frank Vincent DuMond and the prismatic palette. It’s been fun because it is such a different approach than I have used in the past in the studio but it is really adding to the depth and subtlety both of my interior scenes and my outdoor paintings as well. I’m delving much more deeply into understanding how color and value interact and how they create a world and atmosphere in paintings — something crucial for the effect I’m trying to achieve.
I’m also taking an online course learning the art of chinoiserie design and painting — drawing from 17th / 18th century European fascination with Chinese motifs and painting. I’ve become really interested in the intersection of design, applied design, and fine art. Learning new techniques with gouache and watercolor is also expanding my range and abilities. It’s fun to find new materials and approaches to try other ways of creating visual works and sensations.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Brendan Kramp and I’m a Minneapolis-based painter, primarily working in oil and painting realistic and figurative work, with some abstract concepts more recently as well. I’ve been painting seriously since about 2013 though I was very interested in art as a kid and in high school. My earlier focus was on urban interiors and creating a sense of atmosphere and light / ambiance with all of the subjects I chose. Lately after some more explorations and studying with artists I admire, I’m starting to incorporate traditional aspects of landscape painting or design and layout with other ideas to create works that bridge the gap between realistic / designed / abstract and bringing in images or references from multi-media. At the heart of everything I’m interested in creating an experience and emotion for the viewer that makes them feel connected to or a part of the space of the painting rather than viewing it as something outside of themselves. I’m also interested in the effect of art and images on our conscious states, particularly the use of guided imagery and other scenes in everything from therapeutic environments to meditative and creative applications.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I did a Masters degree in Fiction Writing right after my undergraduate degree, and then moved to London the week I finished graduate school. I found myself in a huge international city where I knew virtually nobody and had to do all the usual life things — find a job, find roommates, figure out daily necessities, etc. This was in 2001 and being in such an international metropolis really changed how I saw everything from international events to culture, art, style, and how media both informs and cuts us off from other facts. As an American I’d only really been exposed to certain interpretations and knowledge before that, and suddenly I was interacting on a daily basis with people from 50+ countries just walking down the same street as me. That move, and the 10 years I then spent in the UK and France, changed me forever, helping me see how many approaches there are to art and expression. I’m also continually aware of how dependent so many of our life experiences and understandings are on our surroundings and whether we have a free and open culture that encourages learning or one where those in power wish to force a religious, cultural, or political narrative for their own interests. This seems like the dynamic that has been with us through the ages and continues to influence our understanding of cultural production and art.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I’ve almost given up on art so many times I lost count. I think I could have a ‘regular’ job again where my salary was regular and secured. I’ve thought that I should change styles, or formats, or where I live. I’ve thought about chucking it all in and going into finance. I’ve thought about gardening full time. You name it. But I always come back to painting and there is a continual draw in the story of images, and then figuring out the rest around it.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I think we are way too invested and spend way too much time thinking technology will solve world problems. We’ve sort of lost sight of the fact that we are creating many of the issues that we then want technology to solve, like climate change or war or health degradation, whereas the source of all of this really comes from education and the normalization of things that don’t put humans first. It’s as if we think the economy and issues like borders and war are inevitable or beyond us rather than human creations. I think technology, if used as a helper, can do much as any tool, but we’ve reoriented the entire world around technology as though it was the important thing, rather than its use value to humanity. Until we reverse those values and center human experience and quality of life, we will continue spending time and money on things that don’t really serve life in the greater sense.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing? 
I would have regretted not being a full time artist had I not made the jump in 2019. It hasn’t been easy and each month is hard in a different way, but I knew it was something I had to try and give a go, and now I have. I think I’d next regret not allowing myself to expand and try new things like I am doing now. New classes, new techniques, new mediums, new audiences and markets. I’ve grown beyond my original focus of fine art and looking at applied and decorative arts and I’m loving it. There is a correspondence between aesthetic appreciation and finding ways to help people live better and feel better in their daily environments. I think I’d regret if I didn’t explore this further and see how it can influence my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.brendankramp.com
• Instagram: Brendan_Kramp_Studio
• Facebook: Brendan Kramp Workshop & Studio