Growing up and experiencing adulthood in the radical cultural renaissance of the ‘90s and early ‘00s, Bramble Lee Pryde found themselves in an era marked by profound shifts in consciousness and a collective disillusionment compared to previous generations. Pop culture was redefining itself and its representations: movies began telling stories in radically new ways. Music was undergoing transformative shifts; the ultimate expression of identity was encapsulated in the creation of the mixtape*. Their deep connection to music ultimately became an integral part of their artistic practice—they leverage the use of experimental music to highlight the strangeness of their work, and these modern mixtapes are used to encourage and evoke emotional connection. Bramble thrived in this transformational environment, experiencing the height of counterculture meets pop culture by working at the GAP during the iconic Reality Bites era, experiencing the new scene of underground warehouse parties, and later working within many roles at MAC Cosmetics at the peak of its cult fandom. These experiences cemented their value of the unconventional.

Bramble’s creative identity is rooted in revolution and reinvention.    

However, Bramble's journey has not been without its challenges. They experienced immense grief with the sudden and unexpected loss of both their mother and brother within a few years of one another. These personal tragedies, coupled with their advocacy for their own mental health, led to diagnoses of C-PTSD and ADHD. This journey spurred Bramble to become a vocal advocate for mental health and addiction, encouraging open dialogue and destigmatization. This time also inspired their philanthropic pursuit in response to their brother’s death through the co-creation of a six-week workshop called Street to Studio that provided cost- and barrier-free access to street artists to work with mentors, new mediums, and tools and techniques, to ultimately create a body of work that was then shown at Contemporary Calgary. This program was funded by donations to the Lefty Legacy Fund. The chaotic state of the world, paired with personal loss, shaped Bramble’s dark humor and sardonic, surreal approach to jewelry and art. It became vital for Bramble to create work that speaks to the intensity of our times in a way that is both digestible and accessible, creating and holding space for the outliers.