About Phoebe Burns

My name is Phoebe Burns. I am a 24 year old multidisciplinary artist from Huntsville, Alabama. I recently graduated from the University of Alabama with a BFA in Digital Art and Photography. Even though I have a degree in photography, I also draw, paint and make mixed media art through college courses and self teaching. My styles are described as surreal digital composites and figurative abstraction painting/mixed media. I never knew exactly what I wanted my style to be when I was growing up. Like every child artist, I thought I'd be a traditional artist who replicated life like the Old Masters. I didn't even know that I was being groomed to be a photographer until my father, who specialized in straight photography in his off time, passed away. Only when I got to college did I realize that I don't have to be like the Old Masters. And that's fantastic. I was instead inspired by Erik Johansson, Maggie Taylor, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Joyce Pensato. I say all this because I don't make art to imitate the world. I make art that reminds the viewer that it's art. To demonstrate that, I make surreal photography where I go out into the world and take photos or stage scenes in order to make imaginative digital composites. Whereas my drawings and paintings show off "mistakes" and experimentations with new techniques and challenges. For example, I don't use brushes, unless absolutely necessary, to make paintings and mixed media. I commonly use my hands, sponges or knives when applying mediums. On the more extreme end, I even draw with fire. This reminds the viewer yet again, that art is art. Art is not perfection. That way, making art is more freeing because then I'm not afraid to make mistakes. I want to sell on Artfinder specifically because I like the idea that there is a site that matches buyers to art based upon their tastes. I'm trying to get my work out into the world on a large stage, but I didn't know how to go about doing it besides calling and asking museums and galleries. That had limited success. It only got me as far as being shown only in Alabama. Also, I find it a bonus that if accepted, there is a forum for the artists and I could learn techniques and get critiques on my work as well as help others.