Meet Pearl Bryant: Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Pearl Bryant and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Pearl, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
My ultimate happy place is simply being outside, whether I’m walking through the woods or floating in the ocean. Adjacent to this is my other happy place, finding unique discarded or lost objects out in the world. The hidden lives and stories attached to man-made objects and stuff fascinate me. Imagining new possibilities and giving fresh purpose to these objects in my art fulfills my endless need to explore and to challenge my creative mind. 

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a visual artist focusing on reuse, color, and manipulation of nontraditional painting media. My work is entrenched with heavy elements of play. At the moment, I primarily work on canvas with acrylics, found objects, nail polish, and more. My work is colorful, textural, loud, and rich with detail. Like most art, photographs do not do it justice. If you get the chance, you should see my work in person. I have shown work across Atlanta and the United States since 2016. My piece “H.V. IV” was purchased as part of the 2019 Fulton County Fine Arts Acquisition Program and is on display at Adams Park Library in Atlanta. Most recently, my work was featured in juried exhibitions at Rocky Mount Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences, Rocky Mount, NC, and The Cultural Center of Cape Cod, South Yarmouth, MA. I grew up on the Gulf Coast and earned my BFA with a focus in painting and drawing at Auburn University. As a first generation college student, I paid my way through school with help from academic scholarships and Pell Grants. Once I earned my BFA, I took a sabbatical from art making and worked for a few years in various industries – technology, retail management, and animal welfare. In late 2015, I began painting again, and shortly after, decided to commit to working as a full time artist and began establishing my studio practice. In early 2021, my new website, complete with an online shop where you can buy original works and prints will be launching.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My best friend Jillian and I love to eat, so we would head to Daddy D’z for BBQ; collard greens, mac and cheese, and cornbread for me. We would also make the drive to get take out from Heirloom Market. Inevitably we would end up in EAV and head over to Gaja. I like their bibimbap tofu myself with a somaek to drink. Later on, we would hop over to Banshee for cocktails. We’ve both been avid thrifters for sixteen years, so we would likely dedicate a day to this. Last Chance Thrift Store in Scottdale has been my favorite for a few years. What can I say? Sorting through discarded stuff makes me happy. This day might end in a Waffle House, because. Finally, we would head to Constitution Lakes Park to visit the Doll’s Head Trail. It’s a short easy hike with a portion of the trail dedicated to outdoor art made with found objects from the park. It’s a creative commentary on trash, art, and mass consumption. These are just a few of my favorite things to enjoy around Atlanta.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my partner and fiancé Will for his continual support of my career and his belief in me.

Website: http://pearlbryant.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flossiepearl/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flossiepearl