ilona brustad - biography

In elementary school when my seventh grade teacher brought a print of Rouault's painting "The Old King" to our class room, I experienced a profound desire to paint like him. I was enchanted by Rouault's jewel-tone colors and bold outlines. I began to outline my paintings and dip my brush into bright reds, blues, and yellows with abandon. Later, other post-impressionist artists such as Gaugin, VanGogh, and Matisse, solidified my love of intense color and bold design. More recently, numerous trips to Haiti have renewed my love of brightly colored, stylized art as produced by the Haitian artists I saw.

I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in English and taught junior high school English for three years. Then I returned to Wayne State University to earn my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in painting.

I have worked in most paint media - water colors, pastels, oils, and acrylics. Now I limit myself to acrylic paint which best serves my impulsive nature. Acrylics dry quickly, and changes can be made in a matter of minutes. Although I always have a plan for a painting, it is rare for a finished piece to look as I had planned it. Once I begin to paint, the painting seems to develop a mind of its own, and I feel led rather than leading. Naturally, there are some failures, but often results are exciting and unexpected. Now that I work primarily with glass, tile, and bits of pottery, as well as paint, my pieces have an even closer resemblance to Rouault's stained-glass-like work which first sparked my love of painting.