Artist Spotlight: Brian Soria
Each month, we highlight one of the talented, creative individuals in our reuse community. This month, it’s digital artist, costume maker, filmmaker, and overall renaissance man, Brian Soria!
Brian has been a creator since before it was a career option, dabbling in a wide range of mediums. Read more below to learn about what inspires him and how he got into reuse to begin with!
When did you start making art?
I used the underside of our kitchen table growing up as a crayon canvas, so I've honestly been making art for longer than I can remember. But when I first got to play with the family camera in the 4th grade, I immediately became obsessed with shooting movies and making special effects.
Which aspect of creating is your favorite?
When I'm creating, I'm trying to find that "flow" where nothing exists outside of the project. Sometimes, a project has a troubleshooting component I get lost in, other times it's like a trance of trying to find the right design balance. If I can find that mindset on a project, I'm a happy person.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Music is absolutely my muse, but specifically soundtracks and film scores, movies and video games. I grew up shaped by the movies and tv I wanted to emulate. When the orchestra swells in my headphones, it paints this cinematic framing in my mind and I'm trying to channel the feeling the music is giving me back into my work.
What is your preferred way to engage with your audience?
I am not very good at engaging with my audiences, but usually a dm to my instagram is the fastest way to reach out.
How does reuse play a part in your creativity?
I used to work in the haunted house industry and we had to build sets and costumes on the quick and cheap. Thrift shops were our bread and butter for bulk materials, oftentimes inspiring props and scares. We used second hand materials so often, it has become the standard for my friends and I on every short film, puppet, or costume builds we've worked on ever since. Lightsabers on the original Star Wars were made out of repurposed plumbing materials, so if its good enough for George Lucas...
What compels you to donate to ACR?
I donate to ACR to pay it forward. I've found some incredible finds on previous visits and I love the idea of somebody getting a thrill out of finding one of my goodies on the shelves.
Do you have a favorite ACR find? How did you use it?
I've got a few amazing fabric bolts and some foam that I snagged on one visit that I'm still using on projects to this day.
Where can we find out more about your work?
You can find all of my links over on BrianSoria.com, but if you're an artist who enjoys Halloween themed prompts, I'm also the creator of Drawlloween.com, so check that out every October!
