Blair Brennan is taking her creative energy from the kitchen to the canvas
‘I could go a day without eating, but I could never go a day without painting,” artist Blair Brennan says with a laugh. A unique assertion from someone who has built a career as a private chef. However, for Brennan, cuisine and painting are both outlets for creative expression.
After years of establishing her private chef business both in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Brennan is turning her attention to the canvas, debuting her first solo exhibition, titled PINK ARRIVAL, at Perkins Rowe last month. Focusing on vibrant colors and butterflies, the works are inspired by Brennan’s childhood.
“The butterflies come from memories with my late grandmother,” Brennan recalls. “She had a beautiful garden—I remember her always getting Garden of the Month—and we raised monarchs together. I know she would be very proud of me.”
Describing her work as emotionally charged and maximalist, Brennan’s pieces range from realistic to abstract, with each informed by real-life experiences and observations. Studying butterfly specimens and spending time in nature is central to her creative process, as is her refusal to put herself—or her work—into one specific box. Whether painting lifelike butterflies, covering a canvas with bright blasts of color or even assembling a five-star meal for clients, creative expression is always at the heart of Brennan’s endeavors.
“I have always been an artist,” she says. “I have always wanted to show my work, and now I’m just in a good place, time and space to do that. My creative juices are flowing, and I’m excited to finally establish myself as an artist.”
