be water, my friend on view from May 11 - June 23
be water, my friend on view from May 11 - June 23
Shay Bredimus (1979, Omaha, Nebraska), is a painter and tattoo artist who currently lives and works in Long Beach, CA. Bredimus’ discipline is informed by his experience as a renowned tattoo artist, combined with his formal education in classical painting at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, and then earning an MFA in painting at Laguna College of Art and Design. This, plus a cataclysmal brain injury early in his life, all led him to invent his own practice of “brush drawings”—a combination of drawing and painting, using wet and dry mediums of tattoo ink, wax crayon, and semi-translucent drafting film. With languid and emotive mark makings, a deliberate transition to oil and color has been a shift in his personal narrative and journey, showcasing his desire for honest expression through “self creative behavior”.
Exhibitions in the past five years include the Buffalo History Museum (Buffalo, NY), Forest Lawn Museum (Glendale, CA) and Golden West College Art Gallery (Huntington Beach, CA).
Shay Bredimus
Ascension of the Spirit
2020
Wood, clay, tattoo ink and wax crayon on drafting film
36"x48"x5"
$20,000
Shay Bredimus
Mary with Leaves
2024
Oil on board
14"x14"
$3,000
Shay Bredimus
Dione
2024
Oil on board with laser-etched frame
10"x13"x2"
$4,000
Shay Bredimus
Mary on 3rd and Orange
2024
Oil on board with laser-etched frame
10"x13"x2"
$4,000
11'’ x 14'’
$3,000
I utilize religious iconography in my artwork, such as these frequent depictions of Mother Mary and cloaked women, who not only signify spirituality, but also convey themes of creation and sensitivity. These symbols serve as enduring emblems that have resonated for me since I was a child in my short-lived term at Catholic school.