Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Philbrick.
Hi Brandon, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was always a wannabe artist, but never pursued it very intentionally and with focused effort. In that previous life, I became a graphic artist. I figured this was one way to stay creative and still be employed. However, design jobs turned into art direction, then management, project management, creative director, advertising, marketing, analytics, etc. Instead of doing branding and graphics, I found myself in meetings, in front of spreadsheets, and becoming a data analyst, marketer, director, and “business guy” more and more. None of which was feeding my artistic spirit, and that wannabe artist kept getting louder and louder inside me and would not relent.
Leading up to this, I had still occasionally been trying to do art. Dabbling in different styles and mediums here and there, but never with much focused effort. My buddy and I started our own art night to force ourselves to be creative. And I started attending Arts Underground at the Paramount so I could get my hands in some clay. During that era, however, it was probably not more than 3 hours a week I spent on art, and 50+ hours spent on the brand management/director stuff. Then, at the beginning of 2020, I decided to make the leap. Money be damned, I needed to silence this creature screaming from inside me. I figured if I flipped the script on my efforts, I could make a real go at this art thing. I’ve attained decent success in this other realm that I didn’t even love, so what if I put that kind of effort and attention into something I DO love?
The last day of my corporate life was Friday the 13th, March 2020. The same day, the lockdowns were announced. The Paramount closed. I lost my clay studio and kiln, and I needed to find a way to get my hands on some clay.
Of all the art mediums I tried, clay was it. It was like magic to me. And possibly the one thing that came somewhat naturally. Not so forced as drawing and painting. So, as I was contemplating taking that big leap and becoming a horror artist (of some sort), and listening to my favorite masked band, looking around at my sketches and illustrations of heads and faces, it became clear. Mask making. Without having a kiln and doing stoneware sculpture, I could sculpt masks and make molds to make my sculptures permanent AND reproducible. Essentially, I could create my own latex canvases and combine all of the art skills I had dabbled with into one.
The first masks I made were a Friday the 13th-themed mask and a clown recreation of my own Halloween character. That first mask I made turned into an opportunity to do a production run, and within months I was making hundreds of masks based on that concept. The mask work then evolved into crafting all types of latex collectibles, doing prop and stage work, and even dabbling in some practical effects work, 80s horror movie style. But nothing tops the almighty and sacred mask. My work was now spread throughout the country, decorating walls and faces, enhancing personalities, and covering crowds at underground rap shows. It was all coming together. My love of art, horror, and music all rolled into one unique and ancient art form.
Yes, I do try to church up mask-making as an ancient and sacred thing, because it is. Most people think it’s dumb. It’s just “Halloween masks” and a seasonal thing. But it’s not. Masks are nearly as ancient and sacred as man creating fire. Throughout the ages, masks have played prominent roles in all cultures across the globe. Even the term “persona” (often harped upon endlessly in marketing) originates from ancient Greek and Roman theatre.
Today, I am in the midst of another brand evolution. Crafting my own world and character line and looking to get my creatures into horror cons, costume shops, and haunts all across the country.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. The goal has been to remain independent, and that has been consistent, but the financial aspect of it has been tumultuous. Starting out as a rookie and needing to learn and experiment a lot can lead to a lot of product being wasted. With this analog art form it’s all about physical things and materials. Mistakes cost money. There’s no undo button. And doing large production runs is a different method and process than just focusing on one-off commissions and art pieces.
I needed to continue to take on new challenges, make my process more lean, and continue to raise prices to a place of profitability. Luckily, I was getting paid to learn, and that kept me afloat and gave me the motivation to keep on rowing. I had to improve skill, quality, speed and systems to make this into a viable business model. This is exactly where I needed to be. I had been doing this for other businesses for years, while not being directly hands-on. Now I was doing everything myself, AND getting the chance to master an art form. I am by no means a master at this, but that concept of mastery is high on my list of core values. And the path and potential that lies within it are endless.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I like to think of myself as a DIY artist who specializes in latex monster masks and horror accessories. The masks are what I am known for and what I put the most effort into, trying to go bigger, weirder, crazier.
I am most proud of the fact that I am still doing this, and that each piece I do is better than the last. I came into this game blind, and was taught by YouTube. And now, I am getting better each year, and being sought out for my style and unique skill set.
What sets me apart is the complete DIY package and my range of skills. I carry all of the design, business and marketing knowledge from my previous life, on top of the latex artwork. From concepting characters, sketching, sculpting, molding, and painting. To the branding, photography, design, and presentation of the work. I do everything you see with the Philbrix tag on it.
Some people are just sculptors, painters, or do mask and props work. I do everything. My favorite projects are when I can concept a creature, sculpt it, make it into a mask, shoot it, and then turn all those assets into an album design. On mainstream projects, this might be a five-person team. Although I may not be the best sculptor, designer, or mask maker, the fact that I can create the whole package in-house is, in my opinion, a differentiator.
What does success mean to you?
Success is independence. And of course, the ability to earn enough money to continue to build a creative space so that I can spread the joy of my monstrous creations across the globe. I don’t want to become a production company and have to hire a bunch of people and get back to where I was at the beginning of this journey. It’s tackling bigger challenges, making higher quality work, and getting that work showcased on bigger stages. That’s success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://philbrix.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gravitybleeds
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philbrixstudioz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PhilbrixVidz
