Brittney Reid
Brittney, born in Miami and based in Orlando, Florida, earned her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Central Florida in 2023, following her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2019 from the same institution. Her work investigates her relationship with death, shaped by her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis and recovery during her childhood. Fucheck explores the symbolism of material, allowing her practice to evolve as new interests emerge. Her multimedia approach spans printmaking, painting, drawing, sculpture, ceremonial animal burials, photography, projections, and audio recordings.
During graduate school, she was awarded the Provost Fellowship and the Pabst Steinmetz Grant, which supported her role as a Healing Arts Specialist at Orlando Health. In this capacity, she facilitates creative projects for cancer patients through bedside and workshop settings, using art as a tool to help participants reconnect with themselves and find moments of joy amid the uncertainties of illness.
After her mother was diagnosed with cancer and ultimately recovered, Brittney Fucheck confronted an intense awareness of life’s fragility, particularly regarding her mother. To process grief and the anxiety surrounding death, she began immersing herself in discomfort through the ceremonial treatment of deceased animals, wrapping them in silk and presenting them with offerings such as sage and flowers.
Fucheck’s shared love of animals with her mother inspired this focus on the subject of death. Using roadkill and similar instances, her work explores the possibility of finding positivity amid profound sadness. This practice not only helps the artist navigate personal suffering but also seeks to address and reflect the pain experienced by both loved ones and strangers.