We spoke with Boston-based artist Bren Bataclan of the “Smile Project” on his recent trip to Los Angeles to participate in the Filipino Arts Festival and paint a mural in the NoHo Arts District.

Elaine:
You began your now famous “Smile Project” back in Boston in 2003 – whereby you famously leave your signature artworks for others to find and take for free - with the one request that they “smile at more random people more often” What was the primary emotion that triggered your inspiration to initiate this project?

Bren Bataclan:
DESPERATION…I didn't have a job when I first started painting these creatures of mine six years ago. It was the height of the dotcom crash and I was unemployed, willing to try out anything. I guess that I mustered enough positive energy during those trying times to paint these happy and whimsical characters. And you know what? If I can be that upbeat during that very challenging period, then anything is possible. I love my job!!!

Elaine:
Ah, yes, truly being in starving artist mode and following your bliss brought your passion together in a lucrative and fun work experience- both for yourself and others. You definitely turned a negative into a positive, well done!

Share with us some of the things you learned along the way with this project.

Bren Bataclan:
My first international trip was to Cambodia and Thailand in the summer of 2004, I didn’t translate the note that I include with the paintings – so I didn’t get any feedback from the locals, only tourists who could read the notes. Also, at that time not everyone was on email – so I got less response.

What I also learned along the way is that taking the painting in and of itself is so very personal, that becomes enough and some people prefer to remain anonymous and not post to my website.

Elaine:
Talk about your artistic style and influence.

Bataclan:
I come from a design background and studied here at UCLA. My cartoon-inspired characters were developed when I was very young but then came to life more in the past six years since I started The Smile Project.

The mural project in NoHo was part of an artist in residence program here. I created some mischievous characters, with horns and wings – definitely different and fun, not demonic. People often comment that I don’t paint to the edge and also leave my sketch pencil markings on the canvas –which is intentional. The pencil reflects the originality of the work by hand- nothing is computer generated.

Another signature of my art is not painting to the edge which creates a ‘halo’ effect around these little ‘monster’ characters. The other characters in the mural like the teardrops are unique to this project and reflect the creative lifestyle in NoHo. It was a really fun project, I even left some paintings around NoHo while I was working on the mural. 

Bren Bataclan recently completed an installation mural project entitled “The Smile Sessions” . (pictured below). at The Lofts at NoHo Commons, which was sponsored in part by Ink Studios. To see more of Bataclan’s murals http://www.bataclan.com/smile_boston_project_secondary/sbp_news.html
Bren’s original artworks are also available for purchase from Ink Art Gallery in NoHo. http://www.inkit.com