Brandy Kayzakian-Rowe (ki-zack-eyan)
b. Brandy Marvin, 1979 - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
I was born and raised in the Deep South and music has always been apart of my soul and consciousness. A nomad at heart, I tend to move often and love exploring the deeply rooted cultures I find in locations around the country. I love people's heritages and stories; I find my most passionate inspiration in the laugh lines, calloused fingers and wizened faces of people who have truly lived their lives.
Fresh out of college with my degree in Art Education I began working for The Dixon Gallery & Gardens in Memphis. My job was to coordinate and teach art lessons in under funded schools across Memphis, Northern Mississippi and Eastern Arkansas. I visited a new school every day, in 6 months I had taught well over 11,500 students! Since my job was to travel the highways and back roads of Memphis, TN and Northern Mississippi I stumbled onto many juke joints... the parents and locals started to lovingly brag about their wonderful local musicians and even took me to a couple of shows... it was then I discovered Clarksdale, Mississippi and all that the Delta had to offer. I was in love! That was the beginning of my first series, The American Delta.
With my innate wanderlust growing and my husband's inability to cope with Southern humidity and heat, we ventured to the Pacific Northwest in 2006, landing in Seattle, Washington. I soon became immensely homesick and no longer felt the drive and passion to photograph anything... a few months past and my creativity grew more stagnant until I had the idea to paint from my Delta memories! Paintings like Bluesman, One Hand of a Two Trumpet Man, His Hands are Faster than Your Eyes were some of my first paintings in Seattle. They truly awakened my spirit once again!
Later in 2006 we moved once again to Portland, Oregon where I continued to paint... there I expanded upon my acrylics to begin working in watercolors...seemed appropriate in the rainy Northwest! A few years after moving to Portland I discovered the amazing and vibrant Jazz culture that was right under my nose the entire time, I quickly and excitedly began my second photo-documentation project; "Rebirth: NW Jazz Profile." I spent an entire year completely immersed in Portland Jazz.. everything from live performances, rehearsals, recording sessions, music festivals and even musician birthday parties!
Recently, in late 2009 we moved once again, this time to New England - just outside Boston, MA. I have quickly fallen in love with every town from Portland, Maine to New York City, all accessible with easy and fun day trips from my new wonderful central home! I'm looking forward to meeting East Coast musicians and being apart of a new community of artists.In short, I hope that my work continues to evolve and explore the deeply rooted stories of life and culture and that it evokes love and compassion in all who view it....
Oh, by the way, to answer one of the most often posed questions: My name! Many wonder if I've hyphenated my maiden and married names... actually, my maiden name is Marvin ... both Kayzakian & Rowe are my husband Djerek's last name, Kayzakian (of Armenian descent) is the last name of his mother and Rowe is his father's.