Brandi Milne Debuts Everything I Ever Was at Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles

Dark yet childishly playful, Brandi Milne puts her own unique spin on childhood playthings. 

Painting in candy pink pastels, her work highlights youthful memories with a backdrop of the macabre. Toys, sweets, and favorite holidays bring out the interworking of Milne’s mind in vivid details. 

Join us as we delve into the artwork of this delightfully eccentric modern artist. 

Let’s go! 

About Brandi Milne

Brandi Milne is an American painter and writer with a style all her own. From Anaheim, California, she’s a Gen-Xer born under the zodiac sign of Aquarius. This may play into her quirky painting style. 

Milne says she’s a bit cautious when it comes to collaboration. But, her partnerships span many companies, including Hurley, Billabong, Disney, Sugarpill Cosmetics, and Acme Film Works for CVS Pharmacy. We think that’s pretty impressive. 

Surrounded by the toys of her childhood, they speak through her onto the canvas as well as other projects. In fact, Milne’s signature images come to life in her first-ever 3D toy called Bunny Ride, Go. A child at mind and heart, this vinyl figurine blends her memories into lifelike reality. 

Fine art galleries across the U.S. and internationally celebrate this unique artist. To get a feel for all things Milne, visit her Instagram page. Her posts and reels deliver whimsical yet scary content to over 101,000 followers. 

What is Brandi Milne’s Art Style?

Brandi is a self-taught surreal artist. Everything she does flows from her emotions. She brings to life the beautiful innocence of childhood with large doe eyes. Coloring often comes across as sticky pink candy. However, her pastel shades can blend into the bizarre as well. 

Her favored media is acrylic and ink. Brandi also hand-sews plush creatures. In recent gallery displays, she branched into larger full-sized images of her favorite painting subjects.

Brandi Milne’s paintings are full of whimsy and detail. In one example, a sweet kitten holds a cherry-cheeked human skull alongside a pumpkin full of toys. While in another, delicious peppermint candies surround an octopus beneath the sea. Every image requires the viewer to pause and consider all that’s there to see. 

What Inspires Brandi Milne’s Art?

Surrounding Brandi Milne is the world of classic cartoons, toys, games, and joyous family holiday memories. Some things she had in her youth, while others are modern childish items that fascinate her. They all make her happy. 

Milne’s subconscious inspires many of her pieces, speaking through her artwork. For her painting (Madness) Everything That Ever Was, she pulls a favorite elephant toy from her childhood. Through it, Brandi builds a self-portrait with all her favorite things. 

A child of the 70s, funk still influences her style. She’s fascinated by Far East cultures. A pair of chunky boots or hair flowing down around a child like a headdress gives hints of her artistic influences.

Brandi’s work also speaks of love, loss, pain, and heartbreak. Candy-coated images cross into another realm. Using elements as language from her past, Brandi creates a unique surreal world that you immediately identify as hers. 

Has Brandi Milne Published Books?

In addition to her prolific painting, Brandi Milne also wrote a book called So Good For Little Bunnies, inspired by her own life. She views it as a mostly personal narrative.

Brandi spent a year writing and illustrating the book in a style only she could deliver. The story surrounds Be Be and her little bunny doll, Ginger Finely, on a summertime journey to the Yummy Town Carnivale.

The story is about leaving home and stepping into the life you make for yourself. Expressed with beautiful and whimsical art, Brandi Milne weaves a sweet tale. We tried to get a copy. However, we learned it’s no longer available. In fact, the book sold out twice!

Brandi published another book titled Frohlich, which showcases a lot of her unique artwork. Fortunately, you can still find a few copies available online. 

About the Everything I Ever Was Series

The series, Everything I Ever Was, is about Brandi allowing herself to just create. With no planned agenda, she let inspiration flow from her subconscious. Many of the images speak of the struggles of life but never giving up. 

Music accentuates her usual childhood inspirations. She uses it to flow from her mind to the canvas. In the piece The Humans Will Give No Love, Milne painted a peppermint horse surrounded by the world trying to crush it. The background hints at scary images from the Wizard of Oz while the horse is wild and free, never stopping. 

As Brandi let her mind wander, she let go of the negative. Her whimsical childlike images are surrounded by the dark center on happier pastel images. Through her artwork, Milne wants to help you embrace the light. 

Tell Me About Brandi Milne’s Show at Corey Helford Gallery

Located in Los Angeles, California, Jan Corey Helford and her TV producer husband opened the Corey Helford Gallery in 2006. It’s now the premier gallery for new contemporary art. You’ll find many international artists influenced by today’s pop culture exhibited here. 

Brandi Milne’s next show with the gallery runs October 29 through December 3, 2022. You’ll find the gallery on 571 S. Anderson Street in Los Angeles with her Everything I Ever Was Series on display. Gallery hours are usually from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm but call ahead to confirm. 

Artwork Filled With Emotion and Memories

We could look at Brandi Milne’s artwork for hours. Her childhood memories bring back so many for us too. 

The coloring and three-dimensional quality of her pieces make us feel like we could reach into the painting and grab a sweet treat. Or, perhaps, get bitten by some nasty teeth. 

We hope to obtain a Milne piece or two soon for our online collection.