A conversation with Briana Jamieson on how her practice intersects with time, memory, and the senses.
There is a distinct, quiet magic in the way a painter translates the world. We had a conversation with artist Briana Jamieson to discuss the sensory experience behind her work. From the drag of oil on a smooth canvas to the grounding rhythm of a community garden, Briana shares how she captures the fleeting essence of atmosphere, memory, and everyday joy.
Briana in the studio with her works
01. On Attunement
Your work often evokes a certain quiet luminosity, as though light is not just depicted, but held. When you encounter a landscape or a fleeting moment in nature, what is it that first draws your attention?
I am trying to capture a certain feeling or essence of things that I get when I see or experience something. So atmosphere and energy first, and colour and shape come after.
02. On First Contact
Before a composition emerges, there is the physical meeting of pigment and surface. When you begin a work, how does the material guide the first mark? Do you respond to resistance, or seek fluidity?
I love to paint on smooth canvases and mix my paints to a silky, flowing consistency by thinning them with linseed oil; always seeking the feeling of fluidity with my brushstrokes.
The Almond Cake and Pink Lily, painted for the exhibition at Francie.
03. On What Extends Beyond the Frame
Your surfaces often suggest both quiet stillness and expansiveness. When someone stands before your work, what sensory presence do you hope lingers with them after they step away?
I think there is a magic in painting that I love, as with experiencing any artwork that you connect to, and I am always aiming to capture this for myself. I love to bring more beautiful and peaceful things into the world through my paintings. And I hope my work gives people a sense of happiness and calm.
04. On Perception
Many of your works feel like visual memories more than direct translations. How do memory and sensory remembrance influence what ultimately appears on the surface?
I am always trying to capture the feeling of a moment in my paintings - through the colour and energy of a painting. I think that the energy of the moment I am painting about is often more important than the actual object I am painting.
The Latibule candle burning alongside a piece from 'Garden Day' at Sanderson gallery.
.
05. On the Soil
Your time tending to a plot at the community garden seems vital to your practice. How does the slow, physical act of working with the earth influence your time at the easel?
I love spending time in the garden, and it is such an exciting and fulfilling thing watching flowers grow. I need a good balance of time in the garden and time painting to be happy, and I am always inspired by the flowers I see.
06. On Objects
Your still lifes often feature quiet, domestic elements, such as the curve of a ceramic bowl, a solitary piece of fruit, or a slice of cake. What draws you to elevate the mundane?
I find all these objects beautiful, and the moments with them are often special memories filled with warmth and happiness, so I like to capture the essence of this in my work.
Studio details featuring works from 'Water and Earth' shown at KAUKAU.
The Index
-
Creative Hour: Early morning or late night?
Any time the sun is low in the sky and casts a golden light over everything. -
Studio Soundtrack: Silence or Sound?
Music all day while I paint. -
The Governing Rhythm: The pace of layering or the drying of paint?
The drying of paint, which changes with the seasons. A week to dry in winter, and overnight in the summer.
Studio Notes
To view more of Briana’s luminous work, you can explore her recent exhibition of paintings, Garden Day, at Sanderson Contemporary. She is also showing a beautiful, intimate series of paintings at Francie, exhibited alongside their Heirloom Jewels collection.
A NOTE ON THE MORNING RITUAL
"Burning this candle in the studio has been so beautiful. Before daylight savings, I was arriving at the studio in the mornings before it got properly light. I would light the candle and eat breakfast by candlelight, looking at my paintings and planning the day, waiting for the sun to come up." — Briana Jamieson
Find more about Briana Jamieson and her work via the link here.