In a world where the American West is often romanticized but rarely understood, artist and designer Brenna Litynski brings a grounded, authentic perspective—one brushstroke, pixel, and sketch at a time. Blending science, agriculture, and art, Brenna’s work captures the soul of the West through a unique lens shaped by her diverse background: from marine murals in Maryland to cattle research in Wyoming. Whether she’s illustrating a children’s book on wildlife migration or designing a ranch brand’s digital presence, her passion for education, stewardship, and storytelling runs deep. In this exclusive conversation, Brenna shares the journey behind her art, the inspiration drawn from Western landscapes and lifestyles, and why representing rural life through visual storytelling is more than a calling—it’s a responsibility.
Q: Can you tell our audience a little more about yourself?
A: My name is Brenna Litynski, and I’m a versatile western artist and designer offering a unique blend of fine art, illustration, digital, and website design services. My work is rooted in my passions for education, the outdoors, and my background in agriculture and livestock production. Whether I’m creating a watercolor, a digital illustration, or a brand identity for a local ranch, my goal is always the same: to capture the beauty of the American West—its landscapes, wildlife, and culture—and inspire others through visual storytelling.
I grew up on the East Coast, where I was both a collegiate swimmer and a student at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, earning a dual bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Art. In 2021, I moved to Laramie, Wyoming and soon began graduate studies at the University of Wyoming. My M.S. research focused on the use of sprouted grains in cattle nutrition, and I earned my degree in Animal and Veterinary Science in 2024.
Today, I serve as the Agriculture & Natural Resource Extension Educator in Albany County, WY, where I lead programs in ag education and resource stewardship, blending science with creativity. As the founder of Brenna Litynski Art & Design LLC, I’m dedicated to helping clients tell their stories through meaningful illustrations, tattoo designs, fine art, professional websites, photography, logos, and branding, particularly for ag-based businesses and producers.
When I’m not working in the studio or out in the field, you’ll find me in country dance halls, horseback riding, enjoying time with loved ones, or hiking with my dog, Doodles.
Q: How has your passion for the Western Lifestyle shaped your perspective or inspiration with your art?
A: Growing up on the East Coast, I didn’t have access to the wide-open spaces that define the American West. The landscape was more urban and suburban, and agriculture looked very different. Still, my family supported my early interest in horses, and I was fortunate to work in both English and Western styles. Over time, I’ve continued to develop my abilities in Western horsemanship, and I’ve met wonderful mentors who have encouraged my learning in roping, horseback cattle handling, and related skills, with special thanks to Elias Hutchinson A.K.A. The Startup Cowboy. Additionally, wildlife and nature have always fascinated me, and that curiosity was reflected in my earliest artworks.
After college, I moved west largely for my health—the dry Wyoming air helped manage my asthma and completely changed my life. It also immersed me in the world of Western agriculture and livestock. Between graduate school research, working for the USDA on their government ranch, earning a certificate in beef cattle artificial insemination, and connecting with seasoned horsemen and ranchers in Wyoming and Nebraska, I’ve had the privilege of learning from some of the best.
While I love the practical, hands-on aspects of this life, what truly inspires me are the people. The values of honesty, grit, and responsibility aren’t just personal characteristics; they’re essential to the industry. That spirit fuels my artwork and has led me to shift my focus from painting local ecosystems and marine life to Western wildlife and agriculture. I believe this lifestyle deserves more recognition and representation, and it’s an honor to help tell its story through art.
Q: Growing up, did you always want to be an artist? Then, expanding on that, what did the beginning of your art career look like?
A: Yes, art has always been a part of who I am. From a young age, I enjoyed capturing the world around me through drawing, painting, and storytelling. Art has been a central part of my life, even as my interests grew to include science, animals, and the environment.
I pursued that dual passion at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where I earned my undergraduate degree in both Environmental Studies and Art. During that time, I began to lay the foundation for my professional art career. In 2019, I interned at the Calvert Marine Museum, where I combined research with illustration—painting a mural of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, designing donor artwork, and scientifically illustrating prehistoric species for publication in the Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press published in the 2023 academic volume The Geology and Vertebrate Paleontology of Calvert Cliffs, Maryland.
In 2020 and into 2021, I led several online art workshops for students aged 6–16 through the Carrie Patterson Art Studio, creating week-long lesson plans and teaching a range of media, which sparked my love for teaching and inspiring others about art and the world around them. After graduating in 2021, I moved to Wyoming, where I discovered a deep and lasting connection to agriculture and the Western lifestyle. While earning my master’s degree in Animal and Veterinary Science at the University of Wyoming—researching cattle nutrition and working for the USDA—I continued to create and exhibit art. My subject matter evolved from subjects such as marine life that Maryland is known for to Western wildlife, livestock, and ranching culture.
Over the last few years, my art has gained broader visibility and professional recognition. In 2024, I illustrated the children’s book The Adventures of Popeye and Morty: A Mule Deer Migration Story for the Winter Range Foundation. I’ve also had the privilege of having my artwork exhibited twice at the National Museum of Wildlife Art (2022 & 2023) in Jackson, WY. My work has received awards throughout my career, ranging from national student contests to juried exhibitions, and has been featured in publications such as The Iberian Horse Magazine and at various museums and galleries.
The beginning of my art career wasn’t a straight line, but it’s one that reflects the same values I celebrate in my work: curiosity, resilience, and a deep appreciation for both people and place. Today, through Brenna Litynski Art & Design LLC, I continue to build a practice rooted in storytelling, science, and community, from website and branding design to fine art and illustration.
Q: What does your creative process look like for one of your pieces from start to finish?
A: It really depends on the medium and who I’m doing it for. Commissioned pieces are extremely intentional, and I may meet with the client and/or have one or more in-depth conversations with them about their vision and needs. But when I do art for myself, I have a lot more freedom, and I have opportunities to create whatever inspires me at that moment.
For traditional art pieces, my process is simple and similar across physical and digital mediums. I always start with an idea. Rarely do I ever do conceptual sketches – I immediately get pen to paper, so to speak, and adjust as I go. There’s always a point where I get frustrated with how it looks, because the vision I have for the final product is so strong, and it usually doesn’t match up until the very end. Working with colors and light is my favorite thing to do and is often where a piece comes to life.
In regard to digital and web design, including branding, my approach is slightly different. I spend a lot more time planning, gathering information, understanding exactly what my client needs, and how they envision their business. I’m a full-service package – I do photography, graphic design, logos, web design, written components, and so much more to form an entire online presence. A website design is essentially a functioning piece of art, and I treat it as such. Colors, shapes, and layouts are tailored specifically to the feel and mission of the business to attract target audiences and communicate information as efficiently and effectively as possible. One aspect of marketing is often under-taught and underutilized, which is the power of storytelling. My goal is to help each and every one of my clients tell their story and effectively market their business with quality designs.
Q: When people view your art, how do you hope people come away feeling?
A: My ultimate goal as an artist is to inspire people about agriculture and wildlife, and to distill complex ideas and topics into visuals that are easily understood by many. When someone views my work, I hope to give them an opportunity to see my subject matter through a new lens, and maybe even learn something from it. Drawing from my portfolio, which spans fine art, illustration, and digital design rooted in the landscapes and culture of the American West, I aim to reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary. Whether it’s a wildlife painting, an agricultural or rodeo scene, or digital branding and website design for an agricultural business, each piece is meant to inspire. My work strives not only to educate and inspire, but to tell a story. Whether it’s a detailed illustration or an interactive website, I hope viewers leave with a clearer understanding of the story behind the image—what it represents, why it matters, and how it connects to the American West.
Q: As an artist, why do you think it’s important to share and represent the Western way of life?
A: Sharing and representing the Western way of life through art is very important to me. Not only because it honors the people, animals, and landscapes that define this region, but also because it also serves as a bridge between agriculture and the wider public. The Western lifestyle is rooted in values like resilience, stewardship, community, and a close relationship with the land, qualities that often go unrecognized or misunderstood by those outside of agriculture.
As an artist working across both the agricultural and creative sectors, I see art as a powerful tool to communicate these values in ways that are engaging, accessible, and impactful. Art allows people to connect with the stories behind agriculture, the wonder of our natural landscapes, and the wildlife within it. It fosters appreciation for those who care for the land and livestock, something I believe is more important than ever as producers face growing pressures of all kinds. Through my work with the University of Wyoming Extension, separate from my personal artistic endeavors, a portion of my diverse programming has focused on developing art-based agritourism opportunities that merge agriculture and the arts. These programs include the upcoming 2025 Wyoming Ag & Art Tours, developed in collaboration with fellow Extension Educators, and offer producers a chance to market themselves to new audiences while providing educational experiences that reach individuals who may not have previously engaged with agriculture.
Whether through painting, illustration, or website design in my personal practice, or hands-on workshops and community engagement in my professional life with UW Extension, I aim to celebrate the Western lifestyle while helping others understand and value its importance.
You can learn more about Brenna and her work at www.BrennLitynskiArt.com, brennalitynskiart@gmail.com, or on Instagram @brennalitynskiart.
