By Emma Fantuzzo
Brandon’s Background:
Brandon Roberts – a former optician and bartender who now works as an artist and a member of Louisiana Conservation Corps (LaCC) – describes himself as “Organized Chaos.”
Born and raised in Jacksonville, FL, Brandon worked as an optician for a decade before deciding it was time for a career change. Like many healthcare professionals, Brandon felt burnt out at the end of the pandemic and wanted to reconnect with his roots,
“I always knew I was a nature lover,” he said.
While he received pushback from friends and family over his career change, Brandon felt inspired by nature and wanted to do something that made a difference.
The following two years would be a catalyst for Brandon’s future as he began bartending in Jacksonville, FL and gained a small audience for his passion: creating art.
“[The bar] had 20-foot exposed brick walls and I just saw an opportunity to fill it with something. So, the general manager, who was very supportive of my artwork, was like, you know, you really should start displaying here.”
Brandon says his art has been described as, “post-apocalyptic, nature takes over.” He incorporates manmade items he finds in nature with pieces of nature, hoping to convey the spirit of the place he found the items, as well as the importance of conservation and stewardship.
With nature as his muse, Brandon’s art truly took off when he joined LaCC.
Corps Experience:
Brandon came across a job posting for LaCC three days before they closed their application for the season. Though he did not have field experience, he says that he had gained a deep respect for nature through his art creations and wanted a way to give back.
LaCC ended up being not only a great fit, but a way for Brandon to expand his artwork and be inspired to create new pieces.
Looking back on his Corps experience, Brandon says that one of his favorite projects was laying gravel for a trail that allowed people with limited mobility to access nature.
“Seeing people come birding, and watching the trail fill up, was really rewarding,” he said.
He remembers one night in Grande Isle when he was the only person out on the beach at night.
“I walked out because it was a meteor shower and I saw 200 shooting stars within an hour and there was no one for miles either direction.”
Brandon says that at times like these, he takes a snapshot in his mind to try and recreate it later.
The wetlands of Louisiana are a huge inspiration for Brandon’s creations. His fellow Corpsmembers like to help out by bringing him objects they find while working that they think Brandon could use in his art or might like. They find his art fascinating.
Brandon has had several pieces on display at the Shaw Center for the Arts in Baton Rouge that were inspired by his time with the Corps.
“I’m thinking of the Shaw centerpiece that I had made because [the Corpsmembers] just saw it as a clump of netting and trap that then all of a sudden looks like a mermaid’s treasure.”
Looking Forward:
Brandon’s time with LaCC is coming to an end.
Going forward, he plans to continue to grow his art business while also maintaining a job, even if just part-time, to connect with others. He plans to work for a native landscaping company called Let It Be, a company he worked with during his service term.
Brandon’s Shaw Center art pieces tell the story of his experience with LaCC and how it influenced his art. The pieces are going to continue being exhibited at another location in a new city for three to six months. He also has a solo exhibition in September called “Swamp Witch” it will run the whole month at Blue bonnets Swamp Nature Center in Baton Rouge.
“[Corps] really build strength physically as well as mentally. You learn how to how to adjust to obstacles,” said Brandon. “There’s people all over the country and all over the world doing what we’re doing, and all these little bits and efforts are collectively making that difference that we want.”
