Brianna Lance lives in one of the most inspiring cities in the world: New York. She’s a painter, a musician, a designer, a creative director, a brand consultant and a true muse, to us and to many, many others. We’re perhaps most smitten with her gorgeous paintings (she posts on Instagram under the handle @breez_lance)—lately of mountains and waves. She’s a little bit like a mountain herself: strong, fierce, unyielding. And she’s a little bit like a wave: unpredictable, powerful, magnificent. Christy was honored to get the chance to speak with her.
You’re a true renaissance woman—a painter, a musician, a designer, a creator! What do you call yourself first? Does this change on a daily basis?
I don’t really call myself anything. I leave that to other people to label me whatever they want. Personally I just like creating things and as long as I do that I am happy.
When did your artistic journey begin? Have you always given yourself permission to be an artist, or was that a conscious decision for you, to allow that word to be yours?
I used to stay alone in my room for really long periods of time drawing or just pretending. I think that you are born with a need to express a point of view. It is something that is internally part of my make up so I can’t really define it as having a beginning. It just is.
What is the difference between creating art and sharing art?
Creating is yours and when you share it you release it to belong to everyone else.
Are there any places in your life you’d like to introduce more art into?
My Closet!!! I feel like there are many more artful ways I can address my storage. It bums me out everyday that my closet isn’t really aesthetically beautiful.
“Creating art is yours and when you share it you release it to belong to everyone else.”
How do you find inspiration in your daily life? Do you thrive off the energy of New York or do you find it sometimes overwhelming and chaotic?
I don’t ever find New York overwhelming. I need the push it gives me. I could spend all day alone and in my head so I need something to create a drive for me.
What does an average day look like for you?
My days are so different depending on the week, the month, the year. I hate routine so I have carved out a life that doesn’t have that much of it.
You’ve been painting waves lately. In a recent Instagram post you wrote, “You can either go along with the waves or fight them and get pulled under.” How did your wave paintings start? What do they symbolize to you?
My waves were taken from waves I made in a painting of a sea creature. I started doing the waves to play around with non-figurative art and see if I could still feel the same inspiration from it.
Speaking of waves - there are soundwaves, ocean waves, waves of emotion, waves of feeling - how would you describe your own wave, the wave of energy that is Brianna Lance?
Hahaha. I don’t know I don’t have perspective on it. I am not on the beach looking at it, I am in it.
Your apartment is light, airy, and full of plants. How do you decide what to bring into your personal space?
I loooooove plants, they make me happy so I always have lots of those. The white and airy-ness is because I get really overwhelmed by possessions and things so I try and make sure not to have too many and not to have things that make me feel like I am being suffocated by them. Ideally I would have great closets and just a bed on the floor surrounded by plants.
You’ve mentioned trying to keep 70% of your wardrobe vintage, to minimize your fashion waste. Where are your favorite places to shop vintage? Have you always been aware of the waste in the fashion industry, or was this discovery more recent?
I was in-house at a sustainable fashion brand for a really long time so that made me super aware of waste. And I had to represent the company and walk the walk, so I became really conscious of my habits. My favorite places to shop vintage are Edith Machinist, Ritual Vintage, and Duo NYC. But I also am really into all the consignment businesses right now. It is amazing to have fashion going into a circle that quick and not producing any waste.
What’s one thing about your life now that’s a surprise to you? What’s one thing you always knew you’d be doing?
I am really surprised that I have the freedom to do whatever I want. I never really knew you could be a successful adult and be this free. It’s intense to carve your own path that is unlike anyone else’s, but amazing to be able to follow your passions.
How do you Honor Mother Earth?
I don’t know that I honor Mother Earth enough. I am of the belief that we are all connected and one so we are the Earth, it’s not separate. Taking care of yourself, your energy your environment it is all one. I am constantly in awe of how beautiful nature is and how much power it has to balance itself out. I guarantee if we don’t take care of the earth our energy will be balanced into some form that serves the greater good (like humanity won’t exist and be recycled into something like plants or fish that are better for the system). I do however thank the Spirit everyday and practice a lot of gratitude, try to make sure my intentions are always pure so that I give the best vibration and contributions I can.
Follow Brianna Lance @breez_lance
