Episode 23: Brandon Donahue on Blooms, Hoops and Transformation

Brandon Donahue is a multi-media artist based in College Park, MD and the current artist-in-residence at the David C. Driscell Center. Brandon's "blooms" or assemblages using found basketballs and footballs is the work that initially drew me in, especially in relation to my own work with basketball nets. But throughout our interview it was clear that Brandon't first art related loves- airbrushing and painting murals- are where his career as an artist began when he very young and both are still processes he uses regularly. He is a collector who uses the objects he lives, plays and works around to create alternative understandings of purpose. The "blooms", and finding various definitions for the spaces and objects associated with sports, are just recent iterations of work he has been developing through different mediums for years. His works spans the space of existing both inside and outside and the studio and engagement with his surrounding community is a common theme. His practice is transformational, rethinking the objects we see and use everyday.  You can see more of Brandon's work at https://brandonjaquezdonahue.com/home.html You can read more about his work here: https://nashvillearts.com/2016/12/art-basketball-alchemy-brandon-donahue/