About the Artist

Brian Riegel Powell, Ohio Graduate of Worthington High School 1989 B.A. The Ohio State University 1994 M.S.A.School of Creative Arts at St. Francis

Growing up in suburbia, I noticed people threw away things rather than repurposing them. In contrast, my relatives who farmed repurposed items regularly. I became fascinated how the same object could be considered useful or garbage depending on the audience, and how quickly something valued could seem worthless. As a child, I was enamored with the “junk” on my relatives’ farm and watched my uncle transform discarded items into heroic parts necessary to repair a machine. Formerly important farm implements decayed and transformed into mysterious objects. Now I repurpose discarded and found objects into art, and searching for and incorporating interesting and unique pieces for my art can be as exciting as finishing a new creation.

My art is nostalgic as viewers recognize familiar items from the past, yet sees them in an unfamiliar and mysterious way. A favorite challenge is to take peoples’ once beloved, but now outdated objects and create something valuable that requires them to see the objects with a new perspective. My goal is for my art to inspire viewers to think creatively and consider repurposing before discarding.

Although much of my current work is client-based, I still find time to create for pleasure. I am passionate about incorporating broken or discarded musical instruments into my personal art. Their initial purpose was to entertain with beautiful sound, and I attempt to harness the residual creative energy and make something visually exciting.