Brandi Pfleider, NCA President 2018

Brandi Pfleider was born and raised in Texas, but she’s lived coast to coast.  She’s always been an artist; she says, “I was created to create.”  An artist and entrepreneur at heart, she remembers selling “funny faces” in 3rd grade.  In 4th grade she sold her first two oil paintings, the only ones she ever produced.  In junior high, she began making beaded jewelry pieces and selling them just as fast as she could make them.  In high school, she was commissioned for a portrait and, although she never took an art class, an art teacher asked her to paint a mural on the wall in the classroom.

After falling in love with the culture, scenery and colors of California, this self-taught artist has found her new home.  Brandi’s artwork is still continuing to evolve as she keeps challenging the limits of her art. While not always entirely possible to categorize her work, “contemporary art with an attitude” does seem to come close.

She has a passion for multimedia and up-cycling, but lately seems to be favoring work with gunpowder and smoke bombs!  Inspired by Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang, a gunpowder art video was sent to her by a close friend; it instantly ignited a spark deep within her soul.  She found the nice little burst of hell to be dark, edgy, dangerous, wickedly exciting, and a little sexy.  She immediately learned everything she could and began to ”be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire”.

When asked why gunpowder, she simply replies, “because I’m from Texas.” She lets out a giggle and you can see the fire in her eyes.

If you’re interested in Brandi’s artwork, you can see more or reach her through her website at myartistictimes.com