Bradley Copeland

Owner of Bradley Copeland Studio, 27

Bradley Copeland considers art to be her religion, and since moving to the area in 2019, she’s shared her faith with a growing audience. With the Cultural Arts Alliance, Copeland helped start an art program at the Walton Correctional Institution. Art has been a healing tool for her, and sharing her passion with incarcerated individuals has been a meaningful part of her journey, which also includes being named South Walton Artist of the Year for 2023-24.

What motivates you?

I think of my passion like a child that I nurture and care for in fun and challenging ways. Creating—whether it’s painting or any kind of expression—is how I’ve come to understand myself and the world around me. Art allows me to process things within myself and in my life.

What was a time you failed and how did you learn from it?
Failing is a necessary part of my creative process that, overtime, I’ve learned to embrace. I used to be quite perfectionistic; making mistakes would frustrate me. Eventually, I realized that mistakes are inevitable, and they are opportunities. Seeing this again and again in my art has helped me apply the same approach in life. Learn from and work with failure instead of fearing it.

What advice would you give to young people with a similar trajectory to yours?

Stay curious and maintain a sense of fun and openness with any endeavor. Create effective systems to help make space for undivided play time regularly.

What would be the title of your autobiography?
It’s my circus and my monkeys

 What is the accomplishment you’re most proud of?
One of my proudest accomplishments is helping start the prison art program at Walton Correctional Institution through the Cultural Arts Alliance. I’m deeply proud that I got that program off the ground and that I’ve been able to use my passion for art to inspire and teach others. Art has always been a healing tool for me, and being able to share that with incarcerated individuals—people who are often completely cut off from creative outlets—has been incredibly meaningful. The program is still running today, and knowing I played a role in that feels like a legacy I’m proud of. Another big moment for me was being named Artist of the Year in 2023. I had only been in the area for about three years at that point, and to be recognized and embraced by this community so quickly was both humbling and affirming. It really made me feel seen, not just for my work but for who I am as a creative.