Mack Brim
Inspired by the modern feminine experience, Mack Brim creates figurative oil paintings that explore our personal identities as women. Featuring both portraits and still lives, a deep connection exists between personhood and object. Mack is particularly interested in the performance of femininity in this current cultural landscape. The stories of the women in her life inspire these narratives that have an intimate resonance. Mack Brim currently lives and works in Oklahoma City, OK. She most recently showed at Tchotchke Gallery in Brooklyn, NY and her work is in collections internationally.
Collect Bean: What does growth mean to you?
Mack Brim: Growth to me feels like coming home. The older I get I feel myself returning to who I have always been and making a home there. Being at peace with myself helps me truly open my heart to the world and flourish.
Collect Bean: What does an ideal day in your studio look like?
Mack Brim: The windows open because it's nice outside; a cup of coffee and a good podcast is truly my perfect day.
Collect Bean: What is the kindest thing someone can tell you about your work?
Mack Brim: I just always hope to find a connection with others. My favorite works of art make me feel a little less alone in the world, so that is what I always hope to inspire in others.
Collect Bean: How does where you grew up influence your work?
Mack Brim: I believe it’s impossible to live in a culture without being influenced by it. Growing up in a place like Oklahoma was formative because I learned a lot about the scrutinies of being a woman. I learned about how expressing your desires will create complicated feelings in others who don’t feel comfortable engaging with their own. All of these experiences affect not only my work but also how I engage with my own life as someone who puts their work out into the world.
Collect Bean: What is one of your current goals as an artist?
Mack Brim: My goal right now is to focus on creating the work. My hope is that the work will come through as it is meant to and everything else will fall into place after that. I get in my head a lot about how to make my practice and my career sustainable, which is completely exhausting. I want to paint and see where it all takes me.
