Featured Artist Robert Brown

Enjoy this classic collection of still lifes by master painter Robert Brown, and visit his website to see more of his portfolio.

 

 

Ever since kindergarten I have always felt myself drawn to the imagery of Norman Rockwell. As I grew older and wiser I began to emotionally understand why Mr. Rockwell painted what he did, as well as comprehending his enormous craft involved.

 

 

My path was chosen, my goal and destination ahead, full steam it was for art school and a career as an artist. After high school graduation I decided to apply to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. It was fairly close by and had a great reputation.

 

 

As it turned out, after my first year in foundation art I signed up to become an illustration major. I was overjoyed since Norman Rockwell was in fact also a freelance illustrator. I graduated Pratt in 1975 and embarked on a career which spanned 25 years as a freelance publishing illustrator, mostly painting book covers. It was interesting, fun, and quite profitable at that time.

 

 

When 2005 came about it was evident to me that publishing was taking a new course. It was more digital and less tactile. Thus I opted out of illustration to become a painter in the fine arts instead.

 

 

Along with painting, I have taught as an adjunct professor at both the Fashion Institute in New York City and SUNY Farmingdale on Long Island. I have taught privately for 30 years and given several workshops as well. My work has hung in many local galleries in the tri-state area.

 

 

In my discussions with other artists and students, I always stress the importance of one’s particular point of view. Many of us can achieve technical prowess, but the way you see your painting or drawing is yours and yours alone. My compositions are perhaps my strong point. The process of arranging my elements as the reference source is sometimes as rewarding as painting them.

 

 

I accidentally discovered my painting process one day. It incorporates the use of many glazes of very dilute acrylics over a complete underpainting of black and white. It’s quite time consuming but well worth the final result. I paint on watercolor paper which I mount to 1/2″ foam core board, and do not work larger than 18” x 24”.  I can paint in any medium, but find acrylics to be the most versatile of them all.

 

 

I’m currently in the process of some new and challenging subject matter, and perhaps even a multi-creative media process. I’m still brainstorming the possibilities. I hope you enjoy my still life stories and their trips back in time. Even at my advanced age, I am still excited to see where my next journey takes me.

 

Robert Brown invites you to follow on Facebook.

 

 

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