Artist Statement & Biography

“I often feel more emotions than my body can withstand. In these moments, my work becomes an outlet—a space where my voice can be heard: uncensored, explicit, and honest. These emotions and sensitivities, along with my identity and trauma, merge into one as I create and connect with themes of carnivorous plants and my innate attraction to flowers with both teeth and nectar. From Venus flytraps to Bleeding Hearts, I exist in a world where I am both the trap and the blossom—growing and stretching beyond a treacherous foundation, no longer within reach of those who deplete me.”

Brianna Wilkins is a Chicago-based interdisciplinary and visual artist from Minneapolis, MN, currently attending Columbia College Chicago to complete her bachelors degree.

Wilkins’ work explores the emotional landscapes of her life using organic imagery and florals that span across many mediums: printmaking, ceramics, digital and traditional collage, craft elements such as dried flowers, and textiles. Her art has been featured in group exhibitions such as Printmaker’s Showcase (2023-2024), Patience is a Virtue (2024) at Sip & Savor Coffeehouse in Chicago, IL, and Reflections (2024-2025) at Columbia College Chicago. Additionally, Wilkins’ work has been featured in many collaborative pieces such as Soft Rind #2, a collaborative zine project curated by @Neohmah on Instagram (2025) and Columbia College Chicago’s POC-ran multimedia artist collective The Limelight: The Squeeze Love Issue Volume #4 E-Zine (2025).