Bria Goeller is many things: a freshwater aquarist, an amateur cellist, a burgeoning pragmatist.
She lives in Atlanta and works to raise awareness about convict leasing, forced labor, and their impact on today's criminal legal system. She is also advocating for improved legislation around the criminalization of domestic violence survivors. Prior to that, she made art, ran a creative communications practice for clients doing community change work, and taught courses rooted in art and civic engagement.
This site is her portfolio. It also has sample curricula, a guide for pay-what-you-can models, and a shop full of art. Questions? Reach out:
Bold Journey Magazine: Meet Bria Goeller
"Especially at a time when so much activism is driven by emotion, I think remaining level-headed has been a real asset. I try not to get derailed and focus on the big picture. I think of it like building a garden, not lighting a fire. Flames burn out, but gardens keep growing with patience and water."
Canvas Rebel: Meet Bria Goeller
"'I’ve started encouraging people to tell me a story about why the art is meaningful to them instead of giving a price. It makes us see art as an avenue for communication and understanding. [Rather than] 'own' art as a commodity. ... I want to use art for change, liberation, and empowerment.'"
Shoutout Atlanta: Bria Goeller
"... whatever isn’t happening. Whatever is hard, or different, or isn’t being said or done. Whoever isn’t being paid attention to. If I think I can help tell a story that needs to be told, I’m motivated. I would say that’s why I’m an artist: the need to prove the worth in things that aren’t valued.'"
Civil Rights Activist Ruby Bridges on Kamala Harris’ history-making moment
"Ruby Bridges: 'You know, I was so moved by that image. I've given it a name myself, I call it 'shadows and shoulders,' because it reminded me that all of us are standing on the shadows of people who came before us - or standing on the shoulders. ... there was a time when our voices weren't able to be heard, we weren't able to vote, and now to see a woman in that position, for me it's renewed hope and faith in the country that we live in. Definitely, there's so much more work to be done, but we also have to be also able to look at the strides we make. This is definitely one.’"
Emory grad creates viral image of Kamala Harris and Ruby Bridges
"Mackey says: 'One of the challenges I see in this time is how difficult it is to have conversations, and here we are talking about bottled-up aspirations of Black women because of Bria’s art. I could not be more proud of the work she’s doing.' ... She was his intern for three years, working hands-on with his pieces around race and culture such as Black Men Smile and carving her path as a working artist."
Zhaohan Li: "Dear Bria, a Story About Art and Healing"
"'If you were given ice cream and a knife, complaining that there's no spoon won't help you eat the ice cream. You have to figure out how to use the knife.' Bria says 'The tools given to everyone are different. Instead of thinking about how to get the tools in other people's hands, we should be thinking about how to make good use of the tools in our own,'."
Voyage ATL: Meet Bria Goeller
"’When I say 'education,' I think it often evokes images of tests and classrooms. But ... I think it means figuring out how to connect with others and improve our lives (and the lives of those around us) with the things we do best. This does not need to happen inside classrooms, although it can if done well.' Goeller says: 'I focus on the practical application ... ways to take it into the community.' "
Rough Draft Atlanta: Art Works explores LGBT homelessness
"Art Works explores the role of collaborative art on the self-empowerment of LGBTQ youth in an Atlanta shelter. Nguyen and his team engaged their clients in a variety of exercises to find their creative voices. One was centered on the question: if you had ten seconds to say anything to the world and they had to listen, what would it be? One of the responses was the poem that became the centerpiece of the film, showing a young person wrestling with what her true strength is. Does it come from a facade of toughness or arise out of a more vulnerable knowing of self?"
'Beauty In Things Unseen:' Student Interviews Dining Staff
"'The title, "Beauty in Things Unseen," is an acknowledgment that the things (and people) in this world that are the most beautiful often go unnoticed. This theme is very important to me: in many ways, it reflects the way I live my life and the impact I hope to have on the world. This video is my way of showing gratitude to the Bon Appétit dining staff,' says Goeller '19"
Castro community space & art pop-up 'thirdspace' opens in former Eros
"'The concept is: home is first space, work is second space - and third space is this extra place that's not a bar or a church.' Goeller explained that thirdspace will not be hosting curated events or taking commissions. Instead, 'We're trying to take a more community centered approach. We're going to bring in artists who don't normally have access to gallery spaces, where people can come and talk about tough things that don't usually have a place in everyday language.'"
art, design, photography
publications
Atlanta Narrative Imagination Magazine - 2023
The Epic Mentor Guide: Insider Advice for Girls by Illana Raia (page 32) - 2022
Imurj, Empathy Through Art, and The Creature Creator's "Art of Tech" Online Gallery - 2020
Lullwater Review – 2019-2020
The Underground Magazine – Volumes 21, 22, and 23
DISoriented Travel Writing Edition – Spring 2018
MR. MA’AM Literary Magazine – 2017, 2018
National Academy of Medicine's Visualize Health Equity Gallery - permanent, online
Off the Coast Magazine – Summer 2016 issue
Alloy Literary Magazine – 2016, 2018
The Pulse: Anthology of the Arts – Volume VI
Photographer's Forum Best of College & High School – 2014
SCAD Junior Challenge gallery – 2014
awards
Future.Art: Reimagining Democracy - 2021 (Special Mention)
Amplifier #Vaccinated Design Contest - June 2021 (Juried Selection)
National Arts Program – January 2015 (Featured Artist of the Week)
Scholastics Art & Writing Awards – 2015 (National Silver Key, 2 Gold & 4 Silver Regional Keys)
Scholastics Art & Writing Awards – 2014 (Regional Gold Key)
Photographer's Forum 34th Annual College & High School Contest – 2014 (Finalist)
Fine Arts League of Cary Exhibition – 2014 (2nd)
SCAD Junior Challenge – 2014 (Finalist)
North Carolina State Fair – 2014 (Gold Seal)
Raleigh Women's Club Art Competition – 2014 (1st regional level, 3rd district level)
Fine Arts League of Cary – 2014 (2nd)
National PTA Reflections Contest – 2013-2014 (3rd place at county)
The National Arts Program Duke Employee Art Contest – 2012 (1st)
exhibitions
The Sycamore - 2022-24 (San Francisco, CA)
Night at the Mortuary - 2023 (Oakland, CA)
El Refugio Auction - 2023 (Hapeville, GA)
No Tomorrow - 2023 (Atlanta, GA)
7 Stages - 2023 (Atlanta, GA)
Market of the Beast - 2023 (Oakland, CA)
Astoria Food Pantry - 2023 (New York, NY)
Art Auction - 2023 (Atlanta, GA)
Unkle Morty's - 2023 (Oakland, CA)
thirdspace - 2022 (x7) 2023 (x1) (San Francisco, CA)
Helvella - 2022-23 (Oakland, CA)
Baker & Commons - 2022 (Berkeley, CA)
Evolved SF: Third Thursday - 2022 (San Francisco, CA)
Sonder Art Garden – 2021 (x2) 2022 (x2) (San Francisco, CA)
Paint the Void Retrospective - 2022 (San Francisco, CA)
Castro Block Party - 2021 (San Francisco, CA)
Hayes Valley ArtWorks Gallery - 2021 (San Francisco, CA)
an.ä.log SF - 2021 (San Francisco, CA)
Sunset Mercantile - 2021 (San Francisco, CA)
El Patio - 2021 (Berkeley, CA)
Victory Point - 2021 (Berkeley, CA)
Hofkuche – 2021 (x4) (Oakland, CA)
Noe Slow Streets - 2021 (x5) (San Francisco, CA)
Imurj & Empathy Through Art Gallery - 2020 (Virtual)
Zuni Cafe - 2020 (San Francisco, CA)
South by Southwest® – 2019 (Austin, TX)
Maggie's Pop-Up Art Gallery 2019 (Atlanta, GA)
Relay for Life Emory - 2019 (Atlanta, GA)
Pulse Symposiums III, IV, V, VI, VII, X (Atlanta, GA)
Media Literature Arts Outreach – 2017 (x2), 2019 (Atlanta, GA)
Emory Couchella – 2016, 2017, 2019 (Atlanta, GA)
Emory Dark Arts – 2017, 2018, 2019 (Atlanta, GA)
Alloy Exhibition – 2018 (Atlanta, GA)
Emory Cox Hall Display – 2017 (Atlanta, GA)
Emory Arts Underground Display– 2017 (x2), 2016 (x2) (Atlanta, GA)
Emory College Council Exhibition – 2017 (x2), 2016 (Atlanta, GA)
Emory Arts Exhibition – 2015 (Atlanta, GA)
Artsplosure Exhibition – 2014, 2015 (Raleigh, NC)
Fine Arts League of Cary – 2014 (Cary, NC)
North Carolina Museum of Art – 2013 (Raleigh, NC)
North Carolina State Fair – 2014, 2013 (Raleigh, NC)
Visual Arts Exchange – 2013 (Raleigh, NC)
Cary Towne Center – 2012, 2013 (Cary, NC)
National Arts Program Duke Art Show – 2012 (Durham, NC)
writing
publications
The Quaker Literary Magazine
DISoriented Travel Writing Edition – Spring 2018
The Pulse: Anthology of the Arts – Volume VII, Volume VIII
Emory Feminists in Action Online Blog and Zine – Spring 2018
Boston University's Hoochie Media Project – 2018
Rainy Day – Volume XLVII, No.2, Fall 2017
Outrageous Fortune – Volume 8.2, Spring 2017
Indiana Review – Undergraduate Edition, 2016
awards
Grace Abernethy Scholarship in Nonfiction – 2018
Annie Hall Writing Award: Critical/Theoretical Essay Contest – 2016 (1st)
graphic poetry
Hobart Pulp Literary Magazine – 2018 and Online Gallery
film
Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference, Atlanta Marriott Marquis – 2019
Break-the-Cycle of Health Disparities Conference – 2016
Campus MovieFest – 2016 (TOP 16 Red Carpet Finale)
Emory’s Campus Movie Festival – 2015 (2nd)
NC Department of Justice’s Stop Rx Abuse Contest – 2015 (hon. mention)