Welcome, or welcome back, to my Stanford Pen Studio (SPS) series. If you haven’t seen my previous posts, I suggest you check them out to see the amazing work the SPS collective produces. This entry is spotlighting Brandon Lodewyk who you can find on Instagram
SPS Series Posts: SPS Overview | Brandon Lodewyk | Carla Nel | Di Möhr | Hanna Farmer | Kseniia Nel | Lana Le Roux | Lisa Strachan | Val Myburgh | Yulia Glas | Zelna le Roux | Initial Wrap-Up
I’m still trying to determine what pen(s) I want to get with Brandon’s art, although I’ve been seriously tempted by several of his fabulous works, especially his recent cat-themed pens. Brandon specializes in pencil and charcoal, creating gorgeous photo-realistic art. Don’t let his mastery of those media trick you, though, he’s also adept at painting in acrylic.
How did you learn about Stanford Pen Studio?
I joined Zelna le Roux’s Stanford Gallery in September 2023 and she came up with this brilliant idea to showcase my work to Dave and Di.
Another case of an SPS artist bringing someone else onto the team. It’s wonderful to see artists support each other.
How long did it take you to decide to work with them?
I and my wife, Melissa, met the Möhrs a week after I joined the gallery and I decided there and then I would join the crew.
There is definitely a trend of immediate decisions to work with SPS. I know I’m biased, but I can’t say I’m surprised. Di and Dave would surely have welcomed such a talented artist as Brandon, and they are so nice, I can’t imagine someone turning down the chance to at least try working on pens.
How do you feel about creating art on pens? And what was your first thought when you learned about it?
Firstly, I had no idea how I will be putting Graphite on a blank pen, because there was no blueprint to work from. The smallest drawing I did up to that point was A5 and just felt this pen creating opportunity will help my execution of miniature art. So, challenge accepted.
Brandon didn’t just accept the challenge, he completely demolished it. It’s amazing how much detail he packs onto his pens, especially when working with graphite.
What do you consider the hardest part of working on pens?
Getting those 360° ideas… hahaha. I’m a firm believer that my art needs to tell a story. So, to resize my big ideas onto such small spaces takes a bit of work. It’s easy if you have this big canvas/paper, but now you have this small object and you also need to think 360°.
This challenge, also, Brandon has completely obliterated. His pens are glorious works of art, and well distributed around the pens.
Has pen work affected your non-pen art in any way?
Definitely in a positive way. I’m getting more creative with my compositions these days, because the amount of times I have been told, “maybe you should go work on your compositions” is countless.
I’m not an art critic, and I don’t remember much of the composition information I received in school, but I love the composition of Brandon’s non-pen art. These are all from 2024, and I think they’re fabulous.
What is your favorite part of working with Stanford Pen Studio?
To think outside the box. Lets face it the fountain pen market is foreign territory to me and I believe you’re only as good as your last art piece. The idea is always to go 1 up and to be better than the last pen.
With his last few pens, Brandon has certainly gone beyond his previous works, switching medium as though it’s no big deal. I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.
Has your work on pens turned you into a pen person?
If you eat, sleep, breathe, and become the fountain pen every second of the day, it definitely starts to grow on you. So, who knows maybe I will become a collector myself in the near future.
While I heartily welcome Brandon to the fountain pen rabbit hole, I also wave the red flag of warning that it is a VERY deep hole. But, you’ll be happy while you fall!
See all of Brandon’s currently available pens »
I appreciate Brandon taking the time to answer these questions. And, I eagerly look forward to owning a pen with his art on it.
What do you think of Brandon’s work? Do you own any of the pens he has helped create? If not, would you be interested in one? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.
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