BRADLEY COPELAND

Walton County Artist Of The Year 2023

The artist graduated from Auburn University in 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art, but it wasn’t until the end of her time in college that she realized her relationship with art was much more than mere amusement; it was completely indispensable.

After graduating from college, Bradley apprenticed under an Alabama artist and moved to Florida’s panhandle a year later in 2020. Here, Bradley’s passion and career flourished. She has since held several solo and group shows, participated in numerous live painting events, and was featured on the cover of Emerald Coast Magazine. Bradley recently completed 30A’s newest public art mural located on the side of Linda Miller Real Estate.

The up and coming artist’s work can be found in several galleries across the Southeast, including her own studio/ gallery where she obsessively paints, inspired by everything around her. Bradley considers art to be her religion, her compass, and her greatest love. Her passion for creativity evolved into a need to share its healing abilities with others, and with the help of the CAA, a brand new prison art program was born. Above everything previously described, her most rewarding accomplishment is teaching this type of creativity every week to the residents of Walton Correctional Institution.

What are you most excited about as Artist of the Year?

I am most excited about having the opportunity to call attention to the healing properties of creative expression. Art has saved me so many times throughout my life. Teaching painting classes at the Walton Correctional Institution has proved to me how art can do the same for so many others in their own lives. Painting full time has helped me learn to accept and love myself on levels that I did not previously know existed. This area has completely embraced the most authentic version of myself that I have ever presented to the world, and I am so honored that I get to represent it as this year’s Artist of the Year.

What are you most proud of to date?

I never imagined I would be a full-time artist starting at the age of 23. That dream was too big for me to ever admit to myself before I started living it. I often still cannot believe I get to do this with my life. Truthfully, the pride that I feel when I think about the men I teach at Walton Correctional Institution overrides the pride I feel for myself in my business. I have overcome a lot in my personal life that I don’t think I would have survived without the insights that painting has taught me. Being able to pass these lessons over to others in need of healing and actually see the differences that it makes in each of them, makes my heart glow brighter than anything else I’ve ever done. Some of my methods seem silly or bizarre to others and even myself sometimes. So, sharing these wacky lessons and watching them resonate with people is extremely validating and heartwarming. I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to witness and contribute to the growth and transformation of these men, and the fact that I can do so with the power of creativity and expression blows me away.

What advice do you have for anyone wanting to explore their creativity?

My advice is to first recognize that fear is the only thing holding you back from exploring your creativity. Fear is sneaky and does not always make itself known. If you have the desire to create, but you don’t because of any combination of reasons and excuses your brain feeds you, I guarantee fear is at the root of it all. The world does not necessarily support us in our creative journeys. Society tells us implicitly and explicitly that it is a waste of time or we aren’t good enough or worthy enough to even try. So consider any creative endeavor as an act of bravery and rebellion, you are succeeding already by just attempting. There is no such thing as failure in art. It is all so subjective and highly personal. Any “failure” or mistake or ugliness always serves as, at the very least, a learning opportunity. If the desire to create is there, so is the need for your creation.

The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) is proud to announce the regional artists recently chosen to exhibit their original work in The Foster Gallery’s Spring Rotation, which runs February 1st through May 27th, 2023 in its Miramar Beach Creative Campus location.

The selected featured artists are Wanda AzzarioGoldberg, Gisselle Barnhart, Jessica Batson, Dorothea Berkhout, Stephanie Bloyd, Melody Bogle, Kathleen Broaderick, Patricia Bufkin, Lucinda Bunn, Gayle Campbell, Donnelle Clark, Skip Deems, Kim Eifrid, Elena Filshtinska, Jenny Guerra & Jessica Batson, Wes Hinds, Pamela Hutton, Capri Boyle Jones, Hattie Kennedy, Linda Kernick, Sue Knight, Betsy Latham,

Sharon Long, Susan Lucas, Robyn Martins, Mindy McClendon, Theresia McInnis, Linda Kaye Moriarty, Merry Beth Myrick, Ed Nickerson, Marian Pacsuta Norris, Patti Overholt, Courtney Panzer, William Polley, Bailey Rathmann, Mary Redmann, Melissa Rovner, Kathy Schumacher, Kristine Senft, Pam Singh, Barbara Suhadolnick, The Salty Sparrow, Laura Tuvyana and Karen Williams.

All rotation artists are members of the Cultural Arts Alliance. All works exhibited in the gallery are for sale, many works are online for viewing and purchase on the CAA website CulturalArtsAlliance.com/foster-gallery. Curbside pick-up is available.

The Foster Gallery is located at 13370 Emerald Coast Parkway (US Hwy 98) and is part of the Miramar Beach Creative Campus featuring regional artist rotations on a quarterly basis as well as special exhibitions. The Foster Gallery at the Miramar Beach Creative Campus will also host artist receptions and openings, workshops in J. Leon Studio, events, and serve as a community gathering point symbolizing the support the CAA strives to give artists in our community, including those who are members of the CAA.

Since Opening in 2016

$512,000+ Art Sold

175 Regional Artists Featured

500+ CHILDREN Attended Gallery Field Trips

The Foster Gallery is open Tues - Sat from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

For more information visit CulturalArtsAlliance.com/foster-gallery