I wanted to create a mural that depicted the inner turmoil and mental challenges of being an artist compared to the art that is created. As a self-employed artist I struggle between making art for arts’ sake or making art for financial gain. Being fresh out of the Master of Fine Arts program (2023) at the University of Saskatchewan brings a set of new challenges and pressure. All of my success and practice relies heavily on myself now. Support systems are more challenging to maintain compared to being an art student. There is no safety net other than a part-time or fulltime job may provide. Making art for art's sake offers more freedom and feelings of accomplishment, but at the cost of artwork not moving or selling as readily. I feel that following certain niches to sell my work kills the creative in me and dampens my aspiration to create art. The ability to create freely is something i truly value.

My success throughout 2023-2024 post-graduation has been largely accredited to AKA’s free studio program and the connections I've made through here. I had received my studio space in October 2023 and continued with it until the end of September 2024. Having this space allowed me to experiment with new styles of painting while refining what I already knew. I am able to paint large here which is a must for my work. Grants provided from Canada Council and SK-Arts have contributed greatly to my art practice. This space has been vital to my growth as a full-time self-employed artist.

Brody Burns is a Cree artist from Treaty 6. Territory Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. In his teens, Art had taken the form of graffiti and illustration. During elementary and high school Burns was always doodling in class. Not realizing at the time that it would lead to something bigger. During his time at the University of Saskatchewan, studying psychology, Burns began to take art more seriously. He started to combine Indigenous ways of knowing with concepts in psychology and other fields of study. Spiritualty, Energy, and Vibration are at the core of his artwork. He is interested in representing a combined perspective of Spirit and Science through abstract forms and color.