Columbus, Ohio artist, Briden Cole Schueren, has always had a different kind of perspective on life. He’s extremely energetic and fast-paced. He’s got a love of playing with movement which “is why many of [his] pieces tend to be very fluid while blurring the lines in-between colors.”
Schueren says that he “loves making art that pushes boundaries and makes people think. You could say that I like playing around with fire,” in reference to being able to make people squirm.
“I feel so free and at ease when I am painting or doing a photo shoot! When I have a camera or a paintbrush in my hand I am truly at peace. It’s very Zen like for me. I just want to be able to go crazy on a huge stretch of canvas, painting all over it and rolling around adding different layers and media types. I love making stories with my art. Alternatively, I also love allowing stories to inspire my work. I just feel it gives so much more meaning to every minute that I put into each piece,” says Schueren.
Besides art, Briden’s other passion is rowing. He is currently a rowing coach for a women’s high school varsity team and couldn’t be any more proud and happy to be part of that experience. In college, Schueren had to leave his rowing team because of “regulations.” Thankfully, he’s been able to get back involved with a sport that he loves!
This collection, Blurring the Lines of Gender, explores, interweaving paintings, photographs, mixed media pieces, sculptures, and recycled materials and highlights elements of blurring the lines of gender and human interaction. Blurring the Lines of Gender explores just one of Schueren’s many artistic styles, namely a playful use of vivid colors and fluid movements, while playing with the gender binary.
Schueren’s work will be on display at The Center on High (Stonewall Columbus) in the heart of the Short North Arts District, during the month of August. “We’re thrilled that Briden is going to share this part of himself. I love his work. He’s bright and full of life. Not to mention, he is open about his personal journey of transitioning, female-to-male. His work represents that journey, the highs and the lows. Briden’s showing is our kick-off event for our 2nd annual Transgender and Ally Symposium. It is a wonderful opportunity to educate general society about issues and experiences that transgender people face,” says Shane Morgan, Founder of TransOhio.
Schueren says, “This show is very special to me and personal, because I get to show a big part of my life that I struggled through, yet came out stronger and happy on the other side. I am so grateful and lucky to say I was born with a couple ‘extra parts’. I have been able to experience life in such a different way; Blissful and beautiful while very scary, and you can see that in the way I express my art.”
Briden Cole Schueren’s opening will be on Saturday, August 1, 2009, Gallery Hop. The Center on High will be open from 5pm-9pm at 1160 N. High Street, Columbus. Light refreshments will be available. Come to meet-n-mingle with Briden and other Gallery Hop go-ers and push your own
notions of gender.
This is the kick-off event for TransOhio’s 2nd Annual Transgender and Ally Symposium. For symposium info, visit http://www.transohio.org/.
