Local Painter Finds Art in Disaster

When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Brittany Sims was studying art at Tulane University.

The school was evacuated as the disaster ravaged the city, and when Sims returned months later, she was stunned by what she found.

"It was shocking," she said. "People's stuff was everywhere. Things were scattered around the city."

Scenes from the recent tornado that devastated Joplin, Mo., brought back memories of Katrina, Sims said, and those chaotic images inspired many of the paintings she's showing at Strathmore this month.

Sims, a Kensington native, just completed a six-month residency at Strathmore alongside three other artists. The artists will be showing their works at Strathmore Mansion through Aug. 20, and there's an opening reception

Sims said working with artists from various backgrounds encouraged her to try new things.

"I went to school for painting," she said. "I had never really been exposed to other art forms, like sculpture and mixed-media."

Among the most striking works on display is "Hoarders," a large, chaotic disaster scene painted on a shower curtain. Another series of paintings features abstract figures and vignettes illustrated on weathered newspaper.

Sims said her choice of materials is designed to get away from the often stilted atmosphere of art shows.

"I've been trying to push painting into more of an installation kind of feel," she said. "Curved panels, new materials — I wanted it to be a step into the unconventional.

"And, of course, a shower curtain is cheaper than canvas," she added.

Sims completed her MFA at New York Studio School in 2010 and only recently returned to Kensington. She said the residency at Strathmore has helped her get back into painting on a regular basis.

"I just want to be able to keep making work and having people see it — and, hopefully, buy it," she said. "I just want to support the habit."

You can find more of Sims's work on her website.