Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Burton.
Hannah, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’ve always found myself to have a deep connection with the natural world around me and I also found myself creating things. I was raised in a very traditional southern family, and that came with family rituals, ghost stories, and superstitions. It also provided me with a very strong connection with the earth at a very young age. When I went to college and moved to the city, I found that I had a very unique childhood and began trying to figure out ways to incorporate all my inspiration into my work. In August of 2017, I lost my grandfather to lung cancer and began using my art to heal from grief. The work has since morphed into a way for me to explore the line between the supernatural and natural worlds, rituals and superstitions.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I create mixed media pieces primarily out of cyanotypes but, I often use textile, printmaking, and painting. Cyanotype is a traditionally photographic practice where you brush emulsion onto a service put your image/object on top and put it in the sun to create an image. I jump from different types of media because I feel like integrating material can really push the work into new places and be the final touch to really make a work feel finished. I enjoy seeing how far I can take my mediums. My work is primarily about the relationship between the natural, supernatural and human worlds. A lot of my inspiration comes from my southern upbringing. There were a lot of weird small town rumors amongst the kids about mutated animals in the woods on top of the traditional folklore and ghost stories. Exploring that line between the natural and supernatural is really interesting to me, and I hope people feel a mystic quality when they view the work.
Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
I believe the artist has a social responsibility to help contribute to their communities and to try to keep the art world inclusive to everybody and not just those who are in the know. One of the things I hear the most from family members and friends who are not involved in the arts is “I don’t know anything about that. It’s interesting though.”. I believe that everyone can be a supporter and a participant in conversations about art and not just those deemed as who have been privileged. I ultimately feel like it’s my responsibility as an artist to invite all members of society to engage in art in all forms and to be part a community that strives for inclusiveness and to be ready to defend and fight for inclusiveness.
As far as the issues that affect my work environmental impacts from radiation has been a real frequently searched term in my web browser and weird cryptic news stories always grab my attention (i.e., the ten decapitated goats found in the Chattahoochee last fall). Weird small town news (rumors and tall tales) always get me.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Right now the only place you can view my work is on my website hannahmburton.com and my Instagram @hanksy_b. I normally post upcoming shows and events on my Instagram.
Contact Info:
- Website: hannahmburton.com
- Email: hburton1996@gmail,com
- Instagram: hanksy_b
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HannahBurtonArt
Image Credit:
Adie Morton
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