Discovering Brady Legler is like a breath of fresh air that turns into a windstorm of creative energy at a moments notice. One gets the impression that at any time he will burst forth with an idea and will transform it into a fine piece of gorgeous jewelry, put paintbrush to canvas for a stunning new painting, or even design a rug that sets the tone for a room that is above and beyond fabulous!
Does this transformation come from years of experience? Actually Legler is twenty five, recently finished design school at Parsons; however his collections are in some of the finest jewelers and galleries in the nation.
I will let you hear more about this young genius from the man himself.
Brady, when did you first become aware that art and design was your calling? Would you tell our readers a bit about your background and youth. ( I know you are a Kansas City native as am I)
I grew up in Kansas City
and had a pretty normal childhood. I played on soccer teams from my preschool years and all through high school, I was definitely a better soccer player than
I was a student! By the age of 19, I was selling my jewelry in Kansas
City department stores Halls and Soho 119.
That’s where I met Carmella Spinelli (Carmella Spinelli was a co-owner of Soho 119 when it was here in Leawood and she
was the Associate Chair of the Fashion Department at Parsons she is now at SCAD) and some New York
designers. Carmella encouraged me to apply to Parsons, The New School for
Design. I was a student in Parsons product design department for four years
while I juggled my time to keep up with my jewelry design, art, and rug
businesses.
Like many other kids, I was introduced to
painting through art classes at school (my art teacher Mallory Hilvitz at the
Barstow School was the one teacher that always believed in me and urged me to
be creative…..she believes in all her students). I was a constant doodler
which turned into a daily activity in high school. My dad painted and
always encouraged me to paint. He framed the first painting I did when I was
six and it hangs in his office. He told me then that I was an artist, and I
guess I believed him. When I pick up a paintbrush my goal is to always add
depth, movement, and emotion but I cannot attain any of that without the right
colors. I go to color to recharge me.
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| Tide Pool |
Where do you find inspiration? I understand that your grandmother was a huge influence on your personal philosophy.
Color is my biggest source of
inspiration. Traveling is also a huge inspiration to me it helps me get out of
my personal comfort zone and opens my mind to new things.
Yes my grandmother was and still is a
huge influence on my work and creative process. She was
the definition of style and taste. A pivotal point came for me when
my grandmother passed away in 2008. She left me several pieces of costume
jewelry which I reconfigured into a necklace for my mother to wear. That’s when
the idea came to me to start a jewelry line that was based on the sense of
style my grandmother developed as a model.
Now my mother is a huge inspiration
for me. Like my grandmother, her sense of style is impeccable and always
ahead of trend. My mother was a fashion model in the 80's and 90's and most
recently was one of the faces of 5F for Bergdorf Goodman in NY at the age of 50
(she is 53 now and jump starting her modeling career again).
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| Diamond Rail Cuff |
Are there other artists or designers who you admire and do you have a mentor?
Yes, there are many other artists/designers I admire such as Matt Baldwin who is another Kansas City native, Adam Lippes, and Peter Som in New York. They have all played major mentoring rolls in my growth and development and I owe a lot to each. Franz Kline is my favorite abstract expressionist artist. Wassily Kandinsky inspires me too.
I love a lot of the work of street artists like, Blu, RESO and TILT. I was attracted to the size and color I saw in street art as a kid and I respect it as an art form.
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| Prism |
Brady your stunning designs stand apart in their uniqueness and are worn and collected by some of the most elite of the world. What does this mean to you?
It’s very humbling and a great feeling knowing that just one person has somehow been changed or affected by my work, it is really an indescribable feeling, I am just very grateful. It is also a validation that I am doing what I need to be doing. I love the design process.
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| Subway Ring |
What is next for Brady Legler in your world of design?
A dress collection that I am working on now and am really loving the process. I am also doing t-shirt line for men and women, a men's jewelry collection, continuing to paint almost every day, working on my second jewelry collection and adding about 10 new rug designs next year as well and working on my own textiles.
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| Sunrise |
Finally what words of wisdom do you have for the young artist or designer starting out in this very competitive world?
My words of wisdom would have to be don't get caught up in the trends and what everyone else is doing but instead follow your own creativity, find your own niche.
.tiff) |
| Diamond Post Earrings |
Finally what words of wisdom do you have for the young artist or designer starting out in this very competitive world?
My words of wisdom would have to be don't get caught up in the
trends and what everyone else is doing but instead follow your own creativity, find your own niche.
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Abstract Design Rug
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On a personal note:
What are your favorite restaurants/ places to eat?
So many: Lidia's in KC, the Smyth in NY,
S'MAC in NY, Yasuda is a great sushi place here in
NY, but Criff Dogs and Shake Shack are everyday places that I love to pop into.
Outside KC and NY I love Sunshine
Grill in Grand Cayman, Caffe Mingo in Portland, and
breakfast at Hotel Arts in Barcelona,
and Chipolte anywhere.
Where would you go for some R&R? What do you enjoy doing on a day that is open to anything? Do you have a dream travel destination?
I love to travel. I like the beach, the mountains, and big
cities. Getting lost in a new city. I like spur of moment things, things that are unplanned and
unexpected so anything that involves something I have not done or somewhere I
have not been are always on my adventure list.
Tell us five things you absolutely cannot live without.
My family, my friends, my sketch
pad/pen, a blank canvas and paint.
How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is always changing but I would have to say it is
pretty simplistic with an edge. I like well made clothes. I
won’t lie, sometimes it gets a little crazy sometimes!
The perfect host or hostess gift ? (other than a pair of your earrings!)
At 25 I haven't gone to a lot of parties
where a gift is required but the few I have been to in NY I like to get personal gifts for people so if I get them a
bottle of wine or something I will paint over it just to make it a little more
special. If it is a time crunch I stop
at Dean & Deluca in Soho and get a small box of Kansas City's own Christopher Elbow
Chocolates which is edible art.
What is a special holiday tradition you love?
Staying home and watching movies
all day on Christmas with my family. My family is fun so
holidays are a blast as long as we are together. When I was younger we started
having nerf gun wars on Christmas morning and even now as a 25-year-old
man I still love to do that.
Where can your jewelry, art and rugs be found by our readers. ( I can provide any links you would like.) Do you have any exhibits planned in the near future?
I am currently in Tivol's in Kansas City and my sales
rep. and I have been doing jewelry trunk shows all over the country. My art is represented by Evan Lobel at Lobel Modern in New York and I work with
interior designers all over the world. The Rug Studio in Overland Park sells my rug line.
www.bradylegler.com
www.tivol.com (jewelry)
www.rugstudio.com
rugstudioinc@yahoo.com (Rugs)
www.lobelmodern.com
info@lobelmodern.com (Art)
Brady thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this feature!
It is a pleasure to get to know more about you! I wish you all the best in the year ahead!
Thank you to my friends, Family, and Followers who support the Arts!
Please do leave a comment as they make my day!
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xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
