ABOUT BRIAN BANASH
BRIAN BANASH
Art has a way of capturing the essence of an experience - the shape of a wave, the riffs of the Delta Blues or the razor sharp light over the Na Pali Coast Cliffs. For over two decades, that's been my work: translating the spirit of the American West, Surf Culture, the California Coast and Hawaiian Islands into illustration and print.
BACKGROUND
I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication, a foundation that shaped how I think about image-making — not just as decoration, but as storytelling. That training in design, typography, and visual narrative runs through everything I create, from a small travel print to a large-format piece destined for someone's living room wall.
Since earning my degree, I've worked as a freelance artist, building a practice rooted in illustration and printmaking. Over the years I've had the privilege of working with clients, galleries, and collectors who share a love for art that feels both handcrafted and deeply connected to place.
INSPIRATION
My subject matter tends to follow my passions. Surf Culture — the lifestyle, the coastline, the community — has been a constant thread. There's something timeless about the relationship between a person and the ocean, and I keep returning to it.
Equally compelling to me is the American West. The Four Corners region, Wyoming's wide-open landscapes, the mountain town character of Telluride — these places have a visual richness that I find endlessly inspiring. Regional identity matters to me. I want someone from Durango or Moab or a surf town in California to look at one of my prints and feel like it truly belongs to where they're from.
Travel more broadly informs everything. New places sharpen your eye and remind you what's worth drawing.
PROCESS
I work as both an illustrator and a printmaker, and the two disciplines inform each other. My illustrations begin with careful observation and sketching — building up a composition that feels balanced and alive. From there, the work moves into print, where I embrace the textures, layering, and slight imperfections that make each piece feel genuinely handmade.
Every print in my shop is produced with attention to quality — the kind of care that makes a piece worth hanging on your wall for years, not months.
SEE THE WORK IN PERSON
If you're in southwest Colorado, you can find my original work at BLUES, MTN & SOUL Gallery in Durango, Colorado. There's nothing quite like seeing a print in person — the color, the texture, the scale all read differently than on a screen.
For those who can't make it to Durango, my online shop offers prints in a range of sizes, so you can find the right fit for your space. If you have questions about a piece, sizing, or a custom order, email me at BANASH.Brian@gmail.com.
Aloha & Stay Stoked!