Pacific Index

Pacific’s art professor, Tyler Brumfield’s exhibit “Make Many Things,” opens at the Kathrin Cawein Gallery

   “I used to get in trouble in art school because they wanted you to have your artist statement and then everything you do fits under that,” says Studio Arts Professor Tyler Brumfield. “I never really liked that; I don’t like to constrain myself like that.” 

   That philosophy is on display in March at Pacific University’s Kathrin Cawein Gallery exhibiting Brumfield’s show, “Make Many Things.” The show reflects his inspiration from museum trips, as well as the persistent curiosity of artistic expression—and, more specifically, utilizes a variety of different mediums, takes a personal look into Brumfield’s interest in design, craftsmanship, and use of reclaimed materials. 

   “It’s really sort of a little showcase of all the different creative and artistic activity,” he says, noting that the materials and mediums that he utilized ranged from graphic design and photography to hand-made sculptures. Using a diverse assortment of mediums allowed Brumfield to not create one homogenous exhibition. 

   On his sabbatical, Brumfield travelled to Washington D.C where he visited a total of nine museums, more than he even intended on exploring. “I went to a bunch of Smithsonians, and they’re just so many different things together in one room from different time periods, different mediums, different people,” he recalls, explaining how this experience allowed for the artist’s statement of his exhibit to come into fruition. “I wanted something that felt like different people,” says Brumfield. 

   The exhibit, which has two walls of photographs juxtaposed by advertising imagery and a large wooden sculpture in the center, echoes this overall theme. 

   “It was always important to me to be able to make something that could speak to somebody who doesn’t know anything about art, but if you are somebody that knows about that, I think I want there to be something for you too,” he clarifies. 

   As visually compelling as the surface of Brumfield’s exhibit, the wall labels invite the viewer into a more personal recollection of the piece’s meaning. 

   “My uncle in law is a professional painter and I did a job with him, and he’s been in the game for like 40 years, and so I took this picture and it’s related to a work of abstract expressions because it’s a record of time…a record activity,” he notes about a particular photograph in the exhibit. While peripherally this piece is reminiscent of abstract expressionism, the personal meaning to Brumfield can be explored through reading the wall hangings, though he clearly expressed that every viewer can interact with his exhibit on whatever level they want.

   “I think, honestly, that’s like maybe 75 percent of what being an artist is, is just like keeping your eyes open and never knowing where inspiration is going to strike from,” expresses Brumfield when talking through his artistic process. When asked how long it took to make every piece he says, “I mean, some of the things, some of the works in there are ideas that I had when I was an undergrad student and that I just never got around to making it.” For instance, the large, wooden sculpture in the center of the gallery. “I did a big series of sketches for ideas for those when I was like 21,” notes Brumfield, joking that he didn’t create it sooner because, “I guess I never found the right tree until now.” 

   Tyler Brumfield’s art exhibit will hold its reception on March 7 from 4-5:30 pm and will remain up in the Kathrin Cawein Gallery until April 3.