Student Spotlight: Breana Wooten

Written by Marissa Graf, Staff Writer

Junior Breana Wooten (she/they) runs her own art business inspired by clouds and mushrooms. Wooten started painting in 2018, but at that point it was just a hobby; they gave away most of their paintings for free. 

This all changed in 2020 when the pandemic hit. In quarantine, Wooten started painting more and more. “Painting became a healthy outlet for me,”she said. It was a great way for her to fill up her free time and she enjoyed painting for others. 

In May of 2020, Wooten created their art business, Breluvs Art, and instagram account @breluvs.art to share and sell their art, which began as an effort to raise money for Black-led organizations. Wooten began painting small pieces for $5 each and donated all of the proceeds to organizations like Black Visions Collective, as well as bail out funds and memorial funds. “Painting became a way to support my community while getting others involved as well,”they said. Wooten received a lot of support; friends and family started donating art supplies and asking for custom paintings.

Wooten began saving up some of the money she earned from painting and created her website in August 2021. Her business was officially up and running. After she created her website, many people expressed how proud they were of her for continuing in her art journey and expanding her business. Now, Wooten works to promote her business through her personal Instagram account as well as through her sorority, Sigma Phi Chi. Wooten now has over 700 followers on Instagram.

Wooten’s website offers customers original paintings, prints, magnets, and stickers, all focusing on clouds and mushrooms. “My painting style is definitely inspired by the whimsical animated works of Studio Ghibli and Disney,” Wooten explained. They also experiment with different color combinations, like pink clouds in a blue sky and green clouds in a teal sky. “I’d like to think my art depicts the often fickle nature of reality,” they said. Wooten even rewatches movies like Alice in Wonderland and Spirited Away to get further inspiration.

Acrylic and wrapped canvas are Wooten’s main mediums, but she hopes to one day learn how to make her own acrylic paint and canvas. Her paintings are incredibly detailed and take from 5 to 45 hours. Wooten is currently working on a 24 x 36 inch painting which is the largest commission she has ever gotten, and she is over 60 hours in.

Not only do they wish to create their own supplies from natural elements like making paint from plants, but Wooten also hopes to expand their business soon. Their goal is to be selling their art in local stores and boutiques by next summer. Art continues to be an important part of Wooten’s life and they plan on somehow incorporating it into post-graduation plans stating, “Though my plan after graduating from AC is to pursue my goal of becoming a speech pathologist, I will never stop pursuing art.”

Make sure to follow Wooten along on their art journey and support their business. Here’s how you can connect with them:

Instagram: @breluvs.art

Website: https://breluvsart.squarespace.com/