Adrienne “Brushbreaker” Berkland Could Take John Cena in a Fight*

Berkland currently holds the SOY X SOY Art Rumble Championship belt, while the so-called “Superstar” Cena hasn’t been a champion since 2016. [*an art fight]

[The author of this article’s poorly photoshopped version of a painting by SOY X SOY Art Rumble Champion Adrienne Berkland]

“I feel good,” said ‘Brushbreaker’ Berkland of her mental state following her shocking victory at the Starland Yard event back in July. “It’s about time I got this title here.”

Take that John Cena, who embarrassingly lost his last belt, which wasn’t event a World Championship, almost a decade ago.

All kidding aside, Berkland’s achievement shouldn’t be understated. SOY X SOY’s Art Rumble included eight of Savannah’s most talented creatives: Adolfo Alvarado (”El Incognito”); Zachery Turner (“Zombie Man Zack”); Amelia Jamerson (“The Heartist”); Duff Yong (“Ookee”); Amy Challis (“Watercolor Witch”); Shannon Snow (“Mee Maw”); Julio Cotto Rivera (“Señor Peligroso”); and Berkland. The event was broken up into rounds, where artists created artworks head-to-head based on suggestions from the audience, and then were judges by a panel of three local “experts,” including a Spanish language radio host, art advocate and local business owner Clinton Edminster, and yours truly. Going in, Berkland wouldn’t have been considered a favorite to win it all, but her combination of artistic talent and her willingness to go all-in on her Brushbreaker character put her over the top.

“I used to be ultra competitive,” Berkland admitted. “That might have come out a little bit at the Art Rumble.”

“When I quit my job [coaching lacrosse at SCAD] and started doing art, I was trying to get away from all that competition, ‘cause I thought maybe it was too toxic,” she went on to say. “But this was kind of a nice reminder that it’s okay to be competitive. And I think I do well under the constraints of competition.”

Putting her “Brushbreaker” persona aside, Berkland was much more reserved during our conversation in her space at Sulfur Studios, and described much of her painting process as a meditative practice. To learn more about her journey to art, her background in coaching, and her fascination with skulls, listen to our full interview with her here:

Find Berkland online @adrienneberklandart on Instagram, and via her website https://www.adrienneberklandart.com/

[“Abe's on Lincoln: Thursday (11:40 PM)” by Adrienne Berkland Courtesy AdrienneBerklandArt.com]

[“Hair Control” by Adrienne Berkland Courtesy AdrienneBerklandArt.com]

[Berkland with a piece she created live during Starlandia Supplies’ 7th Anniversary celebration Courtesy AdrienneBerklandArt.com]

[The author of this article with Berkland moments after her 2024 SOY X SOY Art Rumble victory Photo Credit Rob Hessler]