Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
5 <br /> Page 1 of 2 Bren West <br /> Volunteer Application <br /> Orange County Advisory Boards and Commissions <br /> Name: Mrs. Bren West <br /> Name Called: <br /> Home Address: 9101 Old NC 86 <br /> Chapel Hill NC 27516 <br /> Phone: 919-360-6961 <br /> Email: art@brenwest.com <br /> Year of OC Residence: 2022 <br /> Township of Residence: Chapel Hill <br /> Zone of Residence: County <br /> Gender Identity: Female <br /> Ethnic Background: Other <br /> Age Range: 35-59 <br /> Community Activities/Organizational Memberships: <br /> Orange County Artist Guild <br /> Past Service on Orange County Advisory Boards: <br /> N/A <br /> Boards/Commissions applied for: <br /> Arts Commission <br /> Please explain how your background, education and experience is relevant to this board <br /> My background gives me a practical, two-part perspective that I m eager to bring to the <br /> commission. For years, I worked as a creative director in design and branding, which taught me <br /> the professional side of creativity- how to manage projects, guide teams, and connect <br /> meaningful work with an audience. These are skills that directly apply to running effective public <br /> programs and stewarding community resources. <br /> Alongside that, I am a practicing visual artist. My work is tactile and personal, rooted in <br /> materials like charcoal and inspired by the human condition and place. I went to school for <br /> design (National Diploma in Graphic Design, Durban University of Technology, South Africa) <br /> and have worked across different creative fields. In short, I understand creativity from the <br /> inside: the solitary focus of the studio, and the collaborative focus of the professional creative <br /> world. <br /> I can relate directly to local artists, and I know the financial and logistical realities of sustaining a <br /> practice. But I can also contribute at the strategic level, helping design initiatives that are both <br /> inspiring and achievable. I'm passionate about supporting Orange County's arts community not <br /> only as an artist, but as someone who has spent years turning creative vision into reality. <br /> Please explain your reasons for wanting to serve on this board <br /> My reasons for serving are both personal and professional. Personally, my art is about <br /> connection: to place, to material, to human experience. Serving on this board is an extension of <br /> that work; it s a way to help shape the cultural landscape of the place I call home. <br /> Professionally, my background in creative direction has equipped me with the skills to translate <br /> ideas into action. I want to use that experience to ensure the Commission's work is visionary, <br /> equitable, and effective, providing real support to the artists and organizations that make our <br />