Trophic Climb

In her work, Brianna Lance reflects on the experience of creating amid uncertainty and upheaval, describing it as akin to blooming in muddy water. The act of making art emerges through resistance and difficulty, yet those very conditions intensify the impulse to create. Her paintings consider creativity as a force that persists through chaos, pushing forward even when circumstances feel obstructed or unclear.

Recurring symbols carry layered meaning throughout her practice. The lotus, an ancient emblem of resilience and rebirth, signifies transformation under pressure, while ants represent the steady, often unseen labor of the artist—incremental, persistent, and determined. A surrounding ring of fire suggests the unknowable energy that drives creation itself. Lance frequently incorporates braided forms as references to the human body and the physical world, weaving them into more ethereal spaces.