A High Con interview with Portland, OR artist Brittany Hanson, conducted by Sam Kulla

Have you ever fallen asleep among wild animals, or awoken to find them around you? If not, where is the wildest place you have slept as peacefully as the girl in this picture sleeps on the pink bear?

I haven’t fallen asleep among wild animals yet; although, as a kid I was always camping in the summertime. I grew up in LA while my extended family still lived in the Northwest, so my parents, my sister and I would trek up North once a year, setting up camp along the California beaches and into the Redwoods. The Redwoods were always my favorite. You get to go to the drive-thru tree and see Paul Bunyan and his Big Blue Ox, and sometimes on our way down we would stop and Big Sur and there was this awesome deep pool with a rope swing over it. Northern California is pretty special, there’s something magical about those trees and the dusty dirt that would line our sleeping bags.

If we could hop inside this picture and listen, what might these two friends be conversing? Provide dialogue, if you like, or a general topic of discussion.

When I was working on this piece I kept thinking of my friend Chelsea. She has super huge awesome hair and we enjoy a lot of the same things. Even though we have a lot in common our friendship has had some tough patches. If you look closely, the girl on the left looks slightly wary of the girl on the right. But these girls are willing to get through it together, their lives are naturally woven together and they want to be their for each-other. I just want to convey that relationships are rarely all fun and games and that friendship isn’t just about having a buddy, that there’s an intimacy that requires understanding and acceptance.

Your pictures are absolutely dreamlike, a characteristic people tend to lose sight of when they pursue a certain formal tone in their work. Do you have any intentions of something you want to convey with this girl cradling Dr. Seuss trees? If yes, what? If no, at least tell me where I can find some trees like these.

I think of this as my Portland-on-Paper drawing. There seems to be so much love for the arts and all things creative in this city; and of course tree love. Forest park is amazing! This city wouldn’t be the same without all the trees, parks, and gardens. I just like the idea of plucking up a little bit of forest to keep close by, just in case. I actually started a blog based around Portland, Art & Design (I’m a graphic designer by day).

In your life, have you ever known anybody you could characterize as a bear?

This is a strange question. I guess sometimes nice chubby boys are called Teddy Bears by girls who like them. I always thought that was kinda cute, but then again I’ve never really been attracted to chubby boys; nothing against them. Elvis wanted to be “Your Teddy Bear”.

You mentioned that this last one is an older piece. I am drawn to its emblematic tribal feel, and the heaviness of the blacks. If this were to be the cover of an ancient and sacred text of a lost civilization, what would some of tenants and basic characteristics of the society be?

Big camp fires with marshmallow sticks and wine colored smiles follow heat-simmered beach hikes and cold forest naps. Giant wolves carry and protect the nimble, while warmly-lit homes with furry headed bears wait for sleepy feet.

I’m really drawn to the tribal style that seems to be emerging in illustration and design these days. Triangles are everywhere and dream-catchers are popular. I’m really liking the aesthetics of integrating Native American and/or Latin American patterns with modern design.

Brittany Hanson grew up in LA and is an artist in Portland, OR. Curious to see more of her dynamic works? Have a look at her professional portfolio or see her illustrations in person at Together Gallery if you find yourself in the neighborhood.