Pastel Journal - USA (2019-05)

saystheartist.“Mydrawingand

sculpturalideaswerequitestrong.

Colorandpaintingdidn’tseem

importantatthetime.”

AftergraduatingfromStaffordshire

University,Brammelddevelopeda

careeringraphicdesign,advertising

andpublishing.Heformedhisown

businessproducingnewspapersand

magazines.“Arttooka backseat,”he

says,“althoughI alwayshadspellsof

drawing.Mycurrentskillsinterms

ofgraphite,pastelandacrylicare

mainlyself-taught.Nobodytaught

mehowtousepastels.”Hefinally

becamea full-timeartistandart

tutorin2012.

BALANCINGACT

Some 20 yearsago,Brammeldstarted

enteringopenartcompetitions,and

witha fairdegreeofsuccess.This

encouragedhimtoenterstillmore

andtodevelopwhat,intime,

becamehisspecialty.Comingfrom

Staffordshire,anareawitha rich

industrialheritage,which,overtime,

disappearedandtransformedintoa

post-industrialwasteland,landscapes

—bothurbanandrural—hada huge

impactontheartistandfostered

a compellingtheme.“Iwantedto

“THERE’S SOMETHING SO POWERFUL ABOUT A LARGE TREE, THE SHAPES

OF THE BRANCHES, THE GESTURES, THE TANGLED UNDERGROWTH.”

32 Pastel Journal JUNE 2019