Assembling The Artist’s Story: Meet the artist behind the Mixed Media
My name is Bret Schwalb, and I am an award-winning artist based in the greater Chicago area. My work is heavily influenced by explorers and risk-takers such as Buckminster Fuller, Claude Monet, Keith Haring, Steven Spielberg, and Tim Burton. I find both encouragement and inspiration in these pioneers’ examples of breaking expectations, experimenting, and following their own path.
My practice is dedicated to seeking out the forgotten, discarded, and underestimated things to give them a new and celebrated story. These narratives often explore themes of unlocking inner beauty, embracing second chances, or finding the delightfully unexpected within the mundane.
Working primarily with acrylic paint, bismuth metal, copper wire, and glass, I view paint less as an illustration tool and more as a sculpting medium. I utilize its tactile nature as the structural foundation for each piece. Every artwork begins with a story that reimagines a physical object, which is then integrated into a painted scene. The resulting work acts as a bridge between painting and sculpture, attempting to escape the surface and enter the room.
Recurring motifs in my work include monochrome houses, trees, and flowers. These characters represent strength, sanctuary, and the inherent beauty of the overlooked and left behind.
5 Pebbles llc Mission
5 Pebbles LLC produces training and edutainment products that inspire, provoke people’s curiosity, and build confidence in their art and creativity. Bret Schwalb has multiple decades of experience training designers and non-designers alike, through webinars, workshops, books and inspiring fine art videos.
While he accepts a limited number of speaking engagements through the year, Bret is available to speak to students (no fee) and select corporate groups.