In Conversation with Bryant Small
Bryant Small is a painter based in New Jersey and he appears on the first two episodes of this series. We talk about alcohol ink (it’s very unruly), growing up as an artist in Washington D.C., and running art like a business.
We visited him in his studio. There’s music in the background and an occasional bump in the mix, but it’s all good vibes.
Being in a room with him is invigorating. His energy is exuberant. The conversation bubbles with a side-splitting cackle. And while he’s aware of this gift to pull people in (he calls it razzle-dazzle), the man wears it like a blessing. And to top it off, his paintings are a lavish feast for the eyes.
“You need to make sure your work stands up even when you’re not there. Especially if you use a rare medium. If it’s oil, or acrylic, or photography people get it. They know what it is. They can almost judge the work.”
— Bryant Small