Brian Bazemore

Biography

I am a self taught mixed media artist. My art is about my community, family and the world around me. I was introduced to art as a young child during my summer visits to Danville, Virginia. Through my relationship with my Uncle Billy, I learned how to take found things for example tree branches, buttons, hair, wood fabric metals, and glass to make art. While making art we would talk about what was going on in my life and others around me. It is those experiences from my past that have impacted who I am today. Currently the people from my hood and the sounds that I often hear help me to create my art. I often start out sketching a diagram, then I start to think about the materials that I want to use. Often I will use found objects materials wood plastics and other organic materials.if the piece is uplifting I might use color. The size and format of my art often changes.I like to work in different size formats.Currently I am working on an outdoor installation to be mounted during the summer of 2020. My art is accessible, I display my art in windows on doors in my flower pots and throughout the streets of my neighborhood. I like for the community to know that it is possible to make art with everyday materials that are often thrown away. I enjoy giving my art away to total strangers. I want people in my community to know that my art has a place in the world and our everyday life.This is what I practice and this is what I teach.I enjoy teaching young children, teens and adults in community programs. I tell them to talk about what they know then create art from those experiences.

Project Description

I am interested in creating 20 large double sided street pole banners that celebrate the pride of Lancaster Avenue businesses and its community. In 2019, with the support of LISC, I worked with Spiral Q, Peoples Emergency Center and the Lancaster Avenue Business Association to create a poster celebrating Lancaster Avenue businesses. The poster was titled “theAVE. We have everything for everybody.” The poster helped to create a sense of unity among the businesses and its community. We made 300 of posters and 100 of related t-shirts and distributed them to businesses and organizations on and around the Avenue.

My proposed Lancaster Avenue banner project will build upon this work and leverage the partnerships that made that “theAVE. We have everything for everybody” posters such a success. The Lancaster Avenue flags will be placed from 34th to 52nd to symbolize the Lancaster Ave. business and community neighborhood pride. Regardless of whether they still live nearby or work on Lancaster Avenue, so many people share great pride in the Avenue and consider it their home. With so many people traveling up and down Lancaster Avenue as they commute to and from the suburbs or outer neighborhoods, it’s time that these people see and feel this pride everyday too.