Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaimie Brunet.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jaimie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve been an artist all my life, but only since I quit working a day job have I been able to concentrate on really spending time in the studio. My mother was an oil painter and teacher, and I grew up watching her paint. I’ve dabbled in all sorts of mediums and was also a weaver for a while. Though I have never studied formally, I have had the opportunity to study with Robin Samiljan, of Chicago, IL for the past 3 years.
She is a wonderful encaustic and watercolor artist. And recently I’ve taken workshops with Jeff Hirst, also in Chicago, at the Bridgeport Art Center. Both have amazing bodies of work and are most wonderful educators. In a lot of ways, I feel like an emerging artist, though I’m nearing 60 years old!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think it’s always a struggle to be an artist, sometimes just telling someone that I’m an artist is difficult. I think it’s the imposter syndrome many people have. Everyone has that inner critic, the inner voice speaking nonsense to us about how good our work is, or is not. What makes my road smoother is to remember to let go. To become Zen about the whole process. I do a lot of meditation and I’ve found that painting is a form of meditation.
Actually doing the work on a daily basis helps to calm my mind. Not that it’s ever perfect. Sometimes I still encounter great anxiety, maybe from starting a new process or learning something different or doing a large work after working small. There’s no around, only through, so at least I’ve learned enough to just continue the work and realize my feelings about my work will always be a roller coaster. I love some pieces until I don’t and the next day can turn it around again.
I find my biggest challenge is knowing when to stop. I still look at older pieces and see things I want to change. But I’m most at peace when I allow the feelings to just move through me. Not everything requires action. That itself is the definition of meditation.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Jaimie Brunet, Artist – what should we know?
I always wanted to learn to paint using encaustic, which is the process of using melted and pigmented wax. A few years ago Robin Samiljan started teaching encaustic painting at the Evanston Art Center. I had learned to paint in oil from my mother and lately, I’ve been combining oil and encaustic and that has been a lot of fun. There is a translucent quality and a depth to painting with wax. It’s extremely sensual. It has a great smell, and one can build layers and layers of it. It can be scraped down or carved out or poured.
It’s versatile as it can be combined with other media, pastel, oil, oil pastel, objects, papers. Some artists sculpt with encaustic. Some apply varnish and use a torch to burn the shellac, which can produce amazing effects. The medium itself is a mix of beeswax and damar resin. It’s a wonderfully natural medium and has been around for thousands of years. The name encaustic means “to burn in” as each layer of wax must be fused to the previous layer by heat, either a heat gun or a torch.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
So many people support my work with their words of encouragement. My husband, James Pepa, is my biggest cheerleader. My ultimate patron, literally. My friend and teacher, Robin Samiljan comes in a close second. She always encourages me to go just a little further, push a little more and I love her for it. She is the one who coaches me regarding the business side of the art world and helps me navigate the ins and outs of applying for exhibitions, building a website, writing a statement, pricing, the whole shebang. That is what is new to me.
I’ve been an artist a long time but not in respect to actually putting my work out there. I didn’t know where to start until I met her. My friends and my family are also very encouraging and supportive of my work. And I also need to give thanks to the art community in Evanston. It’s very strong and getting stronger, thanks to the work of people like Lisa Degliantoni of EvanstonMade (evanstonmade.com) and host of The Lisa D. show, a podcast that highlights area creatives. EvanstonMade is a community arts initiative that promotes the arts in Evanston. Evanston has numerous artists, in pockets of creative areas.
There are numerous galleries, The Noyes Cultural Arts Center, the Evanston West Village Artists, the Evanston Art Center and the Block Museum on Northwestern’s campus. One of the newest galleries is The Ice House Gallery in southeast Evanston, which also rents studio space and has art classes. It’s a vibrant art scene.
Contact Info:
- Website: jaimiebrunet.com
- Phone: 847-361-7246
- Email: jaimiebrunet@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jaimiebrunet/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jaimieJJack
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
