Inner Unicorn

Artwork by Brianna Thaxton – Exhibit runs from Aug 12 to Sep 23, 2023.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

Through the centuries the unicorn has symbolized love, Christianity, purity, wisdom, etc. For me, this symbolism has grown to be more personal: the soul. The human soul is divine and magical. We are all born with purity and strength. Turmoil outside our control challenges the longevity and endurance these traits have, often resulting in trauma. Emotional and/or mental scars are akin to the scars a burn leaves on wood. A unicorn and its surroundings, whether they be clear and bright or tangled and crowded, is really just me coming to terms with the universal truth that life is not fair. The joy of color popping in on a piece are those sweet moments of relief and healing. Once in a finished state these symbolic self portraits depict my emotional and mental reaction to personal life events that, whether I like it or not, have helped make me who I am today.

ARTIST BIO:

I am Brianna Thaxton. I was born 1991 in Salt Lake County, Kearns, Utah, where I currently reside with my husband, Paul. I received my Associates from Snow College, Ephraim, Utah in 2012 and my BFA from the University of Utah in 2015 with an emphasis in painting and drawing. I began wood burning in 2020 and my portfolio shifted to the symbolism of the unicorn in 2021. I was a member of the co-op gallery Local Colors of Utah in Sugar House from October, 2021 to October, 2022. I had the privilege to be an artist in residence at the Chateau d’Orquevaux, France, for the month of November, 2022 and was awarded the Denis Diderot Grant. Art has been immensely therapeutic for my mental and emotional health. My work took a drastic turn from a dark narcissistic narrative to one that was bright and happy: unicorns, which keep my mind strong, open and honest.