Brian Serway is shown with "Myth Undying" His artwork can be purchased in his Etsy shop.
Brian Serway spends a great deal of his artistic life online, selling his artwork and participating in an online collective which he helped form – The Neo Appalachian Art Guild. Its purpose is to “rally creators in the Tri-Cities region and beyond to share creative ideas, business tips, forge partners for group shows and art markets and have a network so that regional artists can befriend and learn from one another,” he says.
Although Serway is now very successful online and has 266,000 followers on Instagram, that wasn’t his original goal.
“Ironically, in many ways it came from a place of defeatism not confidence in my work. I had all but given up on trying to make a living off of my art. But I habitually created, and I enjoyed the process of creating something small daily.From that, I began posting each piece I would create as a form of journaling, and I was lucky enough to develop an audience from there.I had a few mentors who did their own printmaking and guided me through the process of opening my own webstore to make my work easily available and affordable to those who enjoy it.It has been really exciting to see so many creators taking a DIY approach to their art businesses and seeing so much success; I am a big proponent of that.
“I started working full time as an artist in late 2017. I had been doing commissioned work as a side hustle but was lucky enough to be featured in a few popular online art magazines and was able to form a steady base of support through Instagram.Since then, I have participated in myriad group shows across the country and beyond. I have built my passion for illustration into a steady and growing career by consistently making new work and challenging myself with fresh ways to create.
“A lot of my work revolves around a surrealistic naturalism — seeing the cosmos within each individual living creature on this planet and the connectivity that we all share on a primordial level.In that spirit, I enjoy illustrating some of our region’s most mischievous and enchanting creatures while also trying to paint a story inside their contours.I guess I would consider my work a new folk contemporary take on surrealism and primitivism, though it is hard to keep up with all the classifications. I try not to pigeonhole myself, but I definitely have a realm I enjoy being in for the time being.
“I think more than anything what inspired me in my formative years were the regional ghost stories and folklore my Nana shared with me.Appalachia’s natural world and cultural heritage has played such a pivotal role in both my subject matters and the way I emotionally process my creations.I also ingest a lot of media: reading, film and music are just as essential.It’s so important for me to manifest my passions in my work and nature as well as the cosmos at large play a pivotal role there,” Serway says.
The pandemic may not have affected Serway’s sales, but it has certainly affected his life.
“I was lucky enough to see a surge of support following the first wave with most people being home.It certainly has affected my state of mind the longer it’s become our collective reality.As much as I consider myself an introvert, it has been particularly difficult to not interact in communal events like art markets or gallery shows; I really do miss it and hope there’s a bit of a new dawn in mid-2021,” he says.
His online group, New Appalachian Art Guild, has a Facebook group where they share upcoming shows, critiques, tips on the trade and business practices to create a community.
“It was an idea that formed in the wake of the pandemic, but I am hoping that next year we will be able to gather more regularly and host a series of art markets, socials and informal classes,” he says.
Serway’s work has been exhibited across the country, online and internationally. Originally from Forest, Virginia, he lives in Johnson City, Tennessee. His mother was an artist and encouraged him to create. He is a graduate of Emory & Henry College, Emory, Virginia.
Serway’s work is primarily shown online on Instagram @bserway and his shop atbrianserwayart.etsy.com.
