—Whether peace is found sitting under the eight-foot tall quartz crystal pyramid or while admiring paintings and sculptures, Deprise Brescia’s Art Gallery aims to inspire, cleanse and bring positivity to the community.
Brescia’s artistic style is Transformational Energy Art, which uses various spiritual and scientific principles to shift vibrations and transform the energy in space; from using specific crystals and stones in an art piece to infusing positive words and prayers during the creative process, the goal is to use “intention and different modalities to change the energy in a space. You can transform your space and hold your desired frequency in your environment,” said owner and artist Deprise Brescia, who has immersed herself in the world of creativity through dance, acting, and art throughout her life.
Brescia’s main art form is encaustic painting, which utilizes a hot wax medium to create unique, boldly textured, often vividly colored and carved artwork.
“There’s a certain part about the encaustic where it actually co-creates with you. Unlike other mediums, there is a part of it that will do what it wants to do, perhaps because you’re heating and playing with fire. As an artist, you learn to work within your medium, but there’s a part of the medium that does unpredictable and sometimes really cool things,” Brescia said. When in her studio creating art, whether it be encaustic, oil, acrylic, or digital media, Brescia will use the power of scent and music to bring positivity into her work; depending on the idea, Brescia may work in quiet or listen to Mozart and uplifting cultural prayers, while also infusing both workspace and art with essential oils or lavender scents.
Brescia draws another important aspect of Transformational Energy Art from the teachings and research by the late Dr. Masaru Emoto. The understanding that our words and thoughts can affect the structure of water, which in turn affects our personal and the planet’s energy, inspired Brescia to use these powerful affirmations when creating her work, such as incorporating or underlying the words ‘love’, ‘kindness’ and ‘gratitude’ into a piece. The positive energy brought into a room by the artwork will in turn aim to uplift the energies of those in the room.
One project close to Brescia’s heart is her creation of Veterans’ Voices, a year-round interactive art project with workshops provided for veterans and their families to experience the healing power of art. Going into its fourth year, Veterans’ Voices shifted from indoor exhibitions and classes to an outdoor public art installation called “Wings of Change”.
This exhibition is the large-scale Butterfly Sculpture Garden, which includes a five-foot wooden and glass butterfly. This evolving public art installation was originally scheduled to run through June 2021, but has since become a permanent installation on the corner of 10th and Pine. Veterans and the community are invited to participate, write positive thoughts and visions for change on the wings of a butterfly and paint it with their unique style and choices. Brescia describes the process as a “UNITY PROJECT, creating something that brings people together. It just feels light and happy and we can all use that even for a little bit”.
“I have a great passion for the Veterans’ Voices art project and it’s really about helping veterans, their families, and all of our communities as a whole. It’s about building bridges through art,” Brescia said. The current Veterans’ Pop-Up Arts Cafe takes place in the spring of 2023. This project is sponsored by MHSOAC (Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission), VetArt.Org and hosted by Deprise Brescia Art Gallery.
“I admire their work, I like them as people, and I thought they were a really great fit because I wanted unique, beautiful things,” Brescia said. Artists whose works are currently on display include Bruce Cook with digital artistry, Kelly Johnson with kiln-formed glass, Carlota Santa Cruz and Elethea Brewen with semi-precious stone jewelry, Guy Vasilovich with his Disney and original artworks, Jennifer Eickemeyer and her shattered glass sculptures, Tom Bundy with wood sculpture, Robert and Shannon McClurg with their wood turned usable art and miniature paintings, and a wide variety of artistic gifts from around the world.
“My intention is for people to experience uplifting energy art. My idea is to create art to entrain by creating a space to recharge one’s batteries from the world in safe and enjoyable ways. Art is a beautiful way for people to connect with each other and with their own unique inspiration. More art creates a better world”, Brescia said.
Deprise Brescia Art Gallery is located at 829 10th St., Suite B in Paso Robles. Open Sun and Mon 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Wed and Thurs 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Fri and Sat 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Tue by appointment. For more information, call (310) 621 – 7543 (805) 721 – 0549 or visit deprisebrescia.com.
— Sadie Mae Mace
