Brandon Smith (Redwoodtwig)

Artist statement

I define art as the creation of an object or a performance that goes past mind and body to touch heart, spirit or dreams. Sometimes an art object or performance has a use beyond entertainment; sometimes the mind or body can learn something new, or refine knowledge of something old.  Mostly, though, when I make something artistic, it serves no function other than to present something pleasing to the observer, even if the only observer is myself.  

These are the kinds of artistic things I make:  sculpture, visual art, performance art, and writings.  My educational background was formed by a BA in Philosophy; my work life experiences were in the management and technical arenas.   

Life and the beautiful

Beauty is balance between order and chaos. Sometimes it is also imbalance between order and chaos. Rarely it is pure order or pure chaos.

Life is also balance between order and chaos. Death is pure order or pure chaos.

Good is the ability to achieve balance whilst lurching between order and chaos and back again, however briefly. Evil is the inability to balance. 

Brandon Smith, 2006