Brian Wetjen studied at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, and the Karel de Grote Hogeschool in Antwerp, Belgium. Upon completing his BA in Printmaking at UNO, he got swept up in the dot-com boom and spent more time making websites than art. The need to create kept calling and Wetjen returned to making paintings, installations, and sculptural works inspired by his love of nature and the great outdoors. Wetjen’s work has been exhibited widely throughout the Omaha metro area including at KANEKO, Gallery 1516, the Michael Phipps Gallery, Radial Arts Center, and Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. He won an OEAA (Omaha Entertainment and Arts Award) in 2018 for Best Two-Person Show for 2017’s Interwoven with Sarah Kolar at the Michael Phipps Gallery and had selections in both the 2017 and 2023 Nebraska Biennial exhibitions at Gallery 1516. Brian lives and creates in Omaha, Nebraska. “My artwork is inspired heavily by nature and experiences in the great outdoors. There’s a connection I feel with our natural world that drives my inspiration to create. Most of my work is an exploration of that connection and the human relationship with the world we live in and each other. My goal is to create art that lets the viewer get lost in contemplation, while enjoying all the thoughts, feelings, and ideas that may come with that. I enjoy creating things that can help inspire feelings of peace and calm."- Brian Wetjen