"Bryant Holsenbeck creates enchanting animal forms from ‘discarded stuff’—old upholstery fabrics, cast-off yarn and string—that, refreshingly, are more wild and true-to-life than they are cute or cuddly.”— Danielle Maestretti,
Bryant Olsenbeck received her BA and MA degrees from the University of North Carolina. She has served as Artist in Residence at numerous colleges and museums, including a sustainability class at Duke University, in addition to Guilford College, the Gregg Museum at NC State, and the Turchin Center for the Arts at ASU.
“Bryant Holsenbeck creates enchanting animal forms from ‘discarded stuff’—old upholstery fabrics, cast-off yarn and string—that, refreshingly, are more wild and true-to-life than they are cute or cuddly. The artist is making a powerful statement about our shrinking relationship with nature, and about the impact of our throwaway culture; that she’s doing so with such intriguing, effectively wild pieces makes her work resonate all the more.”— Danielle Maestretti, American Craft Council
“For over a decade now, I have been documenting the ‘stuff’ of our society that we use once and throw away. Americans create more garbage, per capita, than any other culture, yet we are blind to our waste. I believe this is a function of our wealth, and the vastness of our country. We have the room to hide our waste, and the money to make more. I collect many things, among them, bottle caps, credit cards, pencils and chop sticks. I use these everyday items to make work, which transforms the objects and surprises us. I am an environmentalist, receiving great joy from the natural world. This makes me aware of how we take what we have for granted. We may throw it away but my work makes me aware of its continual impact.”
