Beauty in the Broken

Brenda Fraser is a mosaic artist using vintage jewelry to create stunning wall art.

As a mixed media artist, Brenda Fraser has received many awards including “People’s Choice Award” for Steampunk Summer” at Soulard Art Gallery in St Louis; “Best in Mixed Media Category” from St. Peters Cultural Arts Center, and won a “People’s Choice” award in Lakewood, Colorado. She is 2025 Fellow with Artists Inc and earned a prestigious spot with the 2025-2026 “Emerging Artists and Entrepreneurship Program” with the St. Louis Art Fair. She is a member of the Best of Missouri Hands. She also was accepted into a juried shows at the Quincy Art Center (Illinois), the Hermann Art Walk, the Green Door Art Gallery in Webster Groves, Wentzville Recreation Center, Artisans in the Loop, Edwardsville Arts Center, Wentzville at Crossroads Arts Council and at Framations in St. Charles.
She is one of the featured artists at the Missouri History Museum’s “Sold on St. Louis” gift shop. 

In 1996, while living and working in fundraising on the East Coast, she and her mother were driving and had a car crash. Only Brenda survived.

Brenda was told that her life was a miracle.  A private session provided some profound understanding. 

Brenda made a list of the qualities of the partner she desired, and she showed up. Brenda moved to Missouri in Oct 2004 and started attending CSL St. Louis earlier that summer.

Thru CSL, she learned of a Hindu guru (Dr. Pillai) who taught Wayne Dyer the "ah" meditation, and from that workshop, big shifts occurred. Instead of buying a set of Mala Beads from Dr. Pillai, she learned and created her first set of Mala beads.  Her partner, Patrice repaired Brenda's mother's broken rosary (broke during the car crash of 1996), and they ultimately started making jewelry in 2005 and selling it. They sold their jewelry for 15 years until Covid hit. 

In 2013-14, she raised the funds and made plans to travel to Ghana to work with women who are jewelry makers, using beads made from recycled glass. The experience was profound in many ways. She mentored and inspired the women to further their education, and to leave the impoverished village to move to the capital city where the work paid more. One woman took her advice, Regina went to school and moved to the capitol. Brenda has her mentor for 11 years and occasionally sends her funds.

Brenda's work in fundraising and in art has been a supportive energy for healing others, promoting good causes and healing for herself.