There is a grand community of artists in Syracuse – some well-known, some at the creative fringe, and others whom we have yet to discover. One of our aims on the Connective Corridor is to seek out these folks and highlight their endeavors. For the next several months, we will follow Briana Kohlbrenner and her trials and triumphs as an up-and-coming regional artist. Consider this an insider’s look into one local artist’s life.

After Briana’s recent gallery show, “pop66: pop can pinhole photos of route 66,” things are slowing down a bit, so I got the opportunity to sit down and talk with her. We all know her as the proprietor of Craft Chemistry, but just who is Briana Kohlbrenner? Here’s what I found out.  Interview by Joyce Lee

JL: Growing up in a family of artists, what type of art were you surrounded by, and how were you influenced by it?

BK: My dad was a t-shirt designer and had a printmaking business; my mom worked in the same building as a designer and merchandiser. In the house where I grew up, my dad’s studio was the largest room, so I was always exposed to art. It’s not so much an influence, as it’s a lifestyle – art’s something I’ve always been around.

JL: How did you develop your artistic tastes?

BK: I started developing the foundation for my art during high school, and it’s developed in different ways from there.

JL: What were you like as a teenager?

BK: I could be shy and quiet, but I could also be loud and vivacious when I was around my friends. I was hot and cold.

JL: Whom or what inspires you?

BK: It’s not whom or what inspires me, but experiences I’ve had, places I’ve been, and where I’ve shopped that has really influenced my art.

JL: So, can you share a great experience?

BK: I was studying abroad in Italy, and I took a mixed media course. It was an amazing class, and it helped me realize what art could do.

JL: What’s your artistic medium or area of focus?

BK: I’m a mixed media artist, and I love working in 3-D (e.g., creating window installations and display set-ups). I also enjoy making commercial art, screen-printing t-shirts and up-cycling objects (like turning men’s ties into head wraps).

JL: You worked as a visual merchandiser for H&M, designing window displays and setting trends for the stores. What made you decide to change your path?

BK: My responsibilities were to set up window displays using guidelines, and that didn’t leave much room for my own ideas. There was little that I could work with in terms of the styling and color. I felt more like an editor rather than a creator.

JL: Did you always want to be an artist, or did you have another career you wanted to pursue?

BK: I’ve always wanted to create opportunities for artists, and that in itself is art. I also envisioned having a gallery space during my high school and college years. The idea was fleeting at the time, but it eventually came back and Craft Chemistry came alive.

JL: How did the name of the store “Craft Chemistry” come about, and what about science fascinates you?

BK: “Craft Chemistry” just happened. Science mixes things; craft mixes art and people and brings them together. I also think cheesy, old science tools are fun.

JL: What have you done so far that you’re really proud of?

BK: Having the courage to study abroad without any friends. Also, driving across country and landing wherever and living there. It’s the courage to take risks with no clue how things might end up that I take pride in.

JL: What do you like about Syracuse’s art community?

BK: That it feels like a community. There’s support for each other, and people are positive about where we live and see greatness and good. That’s what I love about it!

JL: What do you see yourself doing in five or 10 years?

BK: I’ll still be in Syracuse, owning and operating a huge gallery space. I hope that in one or two years I’ll have a space for a variety of visual and performing arts, focusing on experimental types of art.

JL: Do you plan to stay in Syracuse forever, or would you like to move somewhere else?

BK: Honestly, I would like to go back to Brooklyn. That’s where home and my roots are. I’m not so sure I’d be happy back there though, because Syracuse is an exciting place to be!