Interview with Artist & Illustrator Brandy Masch

Last week I had the opportunity to hangout with artist and illustrator Brandy Masch at her Vancouver studio. What a treat!

When I first visited Brandy's website and saw her art - especially the Living City paintings - I felt transported back into Horton's World from the Dr. Zeus books - especially the most recent movie and book Horton Hears a Who. It would be so fun to be a little person and climb into her multi dimensional worlds and explore. I mentioned this to Brandy and s he smiled and said she absolutely l loved Dr. Zeus books when she was a kid! Of these world’s she creates, Brandy says that she’s an

intuitive painter. The images build themselves, there is not pre- set image. “I don’t use sketch books so much as just work on the piece and see where it takes me.”

Her work was recently featured in V-rag magazine- the art issue along with an interview write up. She has been approached by Simply Red about doing an

album cover and gets commissions and sales via twitter followers, her facebook fan page, as well as local shows such as The Drift and Artist in Our Midst – both annual art show events in Vancouver.

Brandy earned a BFA from Emily Carr University, specializing in printmaking and drawing – lithography. She fell in love with animation and illustration during the four year degreeprogram. And found her love of being an illustrator through the process of doing her BA. The support, encouragement, and guidance from her teachers continue to help me to this day.

It's always so fun and humbling to visit other artist's studios, this one with no exception. What struck me immediately was how organized Brandy is with her art supplies and overall set up. Everything labeled and in its place, easy to find when she needs it. I was immediately inspired myself to make some organizational changes inspired by Brandy's studio set up.

Brandy is a beautiful woman, passionate artist, and easy to be with. Here are some neat little facts about her….

Rock of support: My husband, Curtis, 100%

Favourite colour: changes regularly, green and blues lately. orange

Favourite paints: holbein gouach and Golden liquid acrylics – Golden , FW and liquitex acrylic inks.

Favourite tool: Windsor and Newton 00 round synthetic brush

Favourite soap: Master’s brush cleaner


Favourite artist: the low brow art and pop surrealists, Sean Tan, Julie Moristate, Travis Lui

Role model & inspiration: My Mom, very supportive.

We also talked about challenges, inspirations and goals. Here are hers, in that order.

Deb: Brandy, what do you think your greatest challenge is?

Brandy: Being shy and asking for what I want. Reaching out to people.

Deb: what inspires and feeds you and your art?

Brandy: Surfing the internet, chilling out, looking at other artist’s work, looking around the city, taking photos of things that inspire me. People watching in crowds.

Going for a walk in the forest.

Deb: What are some of your goals as a professional artist and illustrator?

Brandy: My goals include primarily and foremost to make a living from my artwork, specifically having my work in magazines, illustrations for children’s books, and doing creative things such as teaching art to kids. I want to make a living off what I do, do that I don’t need another job.

Brandy, Thank you for letting us see inside your work space and sharing your passion with us! Wishing your dream comes true.

Tristan, thank you for taking this photo of us!