STUDIO PROFILE:

Since 2005, Freyja Bardell and Brian Howe have worked together as Greenmeme, creating public artworks that connect communities, celebrate shared spaces, and bring a touch of nature into urban environments. What started as a shared love for thoughtful, hands-on design has grown into a practice rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and a commitment to making art that resonates with people and place. Together, they combine their skills to design and build artworks that are deeply connected to the environments and communities they serve.

Working with materials like stone, metal, ceramic, glass, and salvaged or recycled elements, they craft each piece with care and intention, drawing inspiration from conversations with the communities they serve.

Collaboration is central to their process, whether it’s brainstorming ideas, meeting with stakeholders, or troubleshooting challenges in the studio. Freyja often leads the charge on community engagement, bringing voices and stories into the creative process, while Brian focuses on the technical and structural details that bring those ideas to life. Their work isn’t just about making something beautiful—it’s about making something meaningful.

Over nearly two decades, their studio has become a space for experimentation and growth. Every new project pushes their boundaries and expands their understanding of what public art can achieve. Through their work, Freyja and Brian hope to create moments of connection and reflection that leave a lasting, positive impact on the spaces and communities they touch.

CONTACT:

brian.greenmeme@gmail.com

freya.greenmeme@gmail.com

BIO: FREYJA BARDELL

Freyja creates site specific and highly process driven sculptures that bring together communities through creative experiences. She researches project sites by immersing her physical and psychological self into the people and places.  She often sets up playful events that bring people into the art making conversation and spark discovery. This concept building phase is documented through conversation,writing, hand sketches, photography and video. This visual catalogue is used to create connected, integrated and fantastical three dimensional pieces. Current work explores the use of performance and movement to intuitively discover and map the attributes of public spaces.

Freyja moved​​ ​​to​​​​ ​​Los Angeles​​ ​​in​​ ​​2002 and has worked​​ ​​as​​ ​​a ​​set​ ​designer​​ ​​and​ ​production​​ ​​designer​​ ​​on​​ ​​art​​ ​​films,​​ ​​music​​ ​​videos and experiential installation art. ​She has made pieces for David Bowie, Beyoncé and many more. Her​ studio work​ ​bridges​ ​​these​​ ​​experiences​​ ​​in​ fine ​art,​​ ​​film​​ making ​​and​​ ​environmental design​​ ​​with​​ ​​her​​ ​​current​​ ​​public ​​practice,​​ ​​Greenmeme.

She lived in South and Central America, teaching English as a foreign language, making art and pursuing her curiosity to discover the world through other lenses. She continues to travel the world through art making, teaching and environmental advocacy.

BIO: BRIAN HOWE

Stepping onto the canvas of his artistic journey, Brian weaves a tapestry of diverse experiences that have shaped the artist he is today. Throughout these experiences, he was always making art, though it wasn't until after his studies at architecture school that he gained the courage to start a studio and dedicate his life to the making of art.From the hallowed halls of the US Navy Ceremonial Guard in 1992 to the collaborative art studio of Greenmeme that he co-directs today, each chapter has added a unique hue to the vibrant palette of his creative expression.

In the early 90s, Brian was a member in the US Navy Ceremonial Guard, stationed in the heart of Washington DC. For two transformative years, he guarded the ceremonial traditions of the nation, standing witness to history as he served under presidents George Bush Sr. and Bill Clinton. His commitment to duty was underscored by a Top Secret 'White House' security clearance, a testament to the trust placed in him during those years. Ceremony, ornament, storytelling and embedded meaning were all part of this job. These qualities

Following his time in the Navy, the next brushstroke of Brian's journey saw him collaborating with Jean Michel Eber, in the creation of custom recording studios in the Atlanta area. The marriage of craftsmanship and creativity cultivated during this period would become integral to his artistic identity. Learning about sound, acoustics, lighting and “out of the box” construction methods were all valuable tools learned during this time that still shape his work today.

Venturing westward to Colorado, Brian became a finish carpenter and Earthship builder, crafting spaces that were not just functional but works of art in their own right. This period of architectural exploration imprinted upon him the fusion of form and function that continues to resonate in his artistic pursuits.

The year 2000 marked Brian's arrival in Los Angeles, where he immersed himself in the creative world at the Southern California Institute of Architecture until 2006. He then spent a year at Osborn Architects before co-founding Greenmeme.