Brant Kingman: Creative Catalyst

When he was young, Brant Kingman dreamed of becoming a cowboy. And before he could outgrow the Western temptation of a Minneapolis youngster, the pull of a big sky and soaring lassos, he made the dream come to life, securing work at a ranch for six summers beginning at age 13.  

Not long after realizing that vision, Kingman discovered while studying at Amherst College that his “purpose on earth” was to be an artist. He began chasing that dream with the same cowboy’s doggedness. 

“The trick of having a fantasy is to make sure you follow it until you get across the goal line and then decide if that’s really the thing you want to follow or not,” Kingman said. “And I haven’t gotten across the goal line with my artist fantasy yet."

For those familiar with Kingman’s work, this might be a surprising statement. Known for his bronzes, he is a full time artist whose work is shown in galleries across the US and beyond. If that’s not the goal, what is? 

“It seems to be, in my case, a little bit like a mirage,” Kingman said. “The more I pursue it and (the) faster I think I’m gaining on it, the faster it seems to slip away. So maybe it’s a lifestyle, maybe it’s a lifetime.”

Following Fantasies—And Going All-In

In the early 1990s, at age 39, Brant Kingman made a deal with himself. He would concentrate solely on his art–which until then had been a side gig and hobby–for one year. If by his fortieth birthday he could pay himself back, he’d go all-in as an artist. By the end of the year, after two shows in the living rooms of friends, he had made his investment back plus $500.

“That was a go,” Kingman said. 

He hasn’t looked back since, continuing to set goals for himself and working in everything from the most classical to the most modern of art forms. 

Solo Exhibit at Gallery 360

Saturday marked the opening of a Brant Kingman show at . The artist has shown his work at the gallery for years, but this was his first solo exhibition there. 

In a show which combines painting and sculpture, classical forms and ethereal imagery, Kingman presents work which is more accessible than your average bronze. 

“This is one of the first times he’s put some of the more cast plaster pieces out there in show, which is great because they’re high quality but they’re affordable,” Gallery 360 owner Merry Beck said.

“He’s got such an incredible hand,” she added.

But while he may create pieces that tease and intrigue the eye with that incredible hand, Kingman said his view of his role as an artist has changed over the years. 

“Whereas once I believed in the power of the artist as an object-maker, now I think of the power of an artist as the maker of an object which attracts and acts as a catalyst in bringing together people. The real power is in the people,” Kingman said. “So, ultimately you’re trying to create a community of loving people. That’s what’s next: creating a community of loving, creative individuals.” 

Even for an artist who jumps nimbly from sculpting bronzes to creating larger than life pop art with pop cans, this seems like a lofty goal. 

“It’s a big undertaking,” Kingman acknowledged. “That’s a challenge worth a lifetime.”