Artist: Colin Brown

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My creative process is one of exploration and chance. I go into each painting with no preconceived idea - working initially on building the surface in layers and marking reference points. Gradually a dialogue between the painting and myself is developed and a definite direction is formed. Each element of the work will be constantly examined, considered and reassessed. In the final analysis great importance is placed on the finished surface, balance, structure and rhythm of the painting.

The work evolves naturally year on year, sometimes revisiting old places before moving forward again. In my current paintings the imagery has become more literal, using a combination of random elements mixed with direct references to investigate allegory and narrative, memory and impurity. Although these works perhaps give more of an indication of personal intentions, they remain open to interpretation by the viewer. The paintings employ a variety of mixed media to explore human histories, random and specific mark making, urban imagery and a mix of personal hand writing and printed script.

My working process involves a range of materials including acrylic and oil paints, collage, glazes and varnishes. The paintings are created on wood panels and utilise more urban colours than the colours of nature. Ultimately they aim to celebrate the spirit of modern culture, the pleasure of finding and using, and the Dada-ist ideal of looking at society in fragments.

CV

SOLO EXHIBITIONS, selected
2010 Panter and Hall, London.
2008 “Yesterday is Here”, John Briggs Gallery, Stonhaven.
2007 “Heroes and Icons”, Mansfield Park Gallery, Glasgow.
2004 Urban Dada, Peacock Visual Arts, Aberdeen.
        Woodend Barn Art Centre, Banchory.
2003 Circle Gallery, Edinburgh.
2000 Woodend Barn Art Centre, Banchory.
1999 Nord/LB Galerie, Braunschweig, Germany.
1998 Galerie Bongartz + Partner, Hanover, Germany
1997 Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Inverness
        Carron Works, Peacock Visual Arts, Aberdeen
1996 Galerie Freidhelm Huter, Anrath, Germany
        Meffan Institute, Forfar.
1994 Stadt Kramer Museum, Kempen, Germany
1993 Galerie Kulturfabrik, Krefeld, Germany
1989 Barbizon Gallery, Glasgow

GROUP EXHIBITIONS, selected
2011 Now We Are Two, Union Gallery, Edinburgh
        Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow
        Richard Hagen Gallery, Broadway
2010 The Scottish Show, Oakham Contemporary, London
        Richard Hagen Gallery, Broadway
        Paisley Art Institute
2009 Chasing Flames, Turn-Berlin Galerie, Berlin
        Panter and Hall, London
        Paintwork, Galerie Borchardt, Hamburg
        The Scottish Show, Oakham Contemporary, London
        London Art Fair
        The Painted Word, Woodend Barn Arts Centre, Banchory
2008 100 Years of Scottish Painting, Panter and Hall, London
        Art London
        Latitude 57 - A Line of Thought, Aberdeen2008
        20/21 British Art Fair, London
        Progressive Transformations, Limousine Bull, Aberdeen
        Affordable Art Fair, London
2007 Panter and Hall, London
        Adam Gallery, Bath
        ArtLondon
        Fraser Gallery, Dundee
        Home Grown Talent, Duff House, Banff
        Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
2006 Aspect Prizewinners, Adam Gallery, London
        Art Chicago, USA
        Richard Hagen Gallery, Broadway
        London Art Fair
        Lalique Showrooms, New York
        One Love Football Art Prize, The Lowry, Salford
2005 Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London
        Galerie Excentrisk, Aarhus, Denmark
        The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
        Paisley Art Institute, Paisley
        Society of Scottish Artists, RSA, Edinburgh
        Highland Open, touring exhibition, Scotland
        Scottish Art Today, Edinburgh International Festival
        Glasgow Art Fair
2004 Thompson’s Marylebone, London
        Godfrey and Watt, Harrogate
        Tower Foyer Gallery, University of Dundee
2003 Lennox Gallery, London
        South Street Gallery, St Andrews
        The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle upon Tyne
2002 MVAC Gallery, Twin Falls, Idaho, USA
        Art on Paper Fair, Royal College of Art, London
        Arndean Gallery, London
        Gallery Heinzel, Aberdeen
2001 Musee d’Histoirede la Ville de Luxembourg, Luxembourg
        Broadway Modern, Worcestershire
        Noble Grossart Painting Prize, Glasgow/Edinburgh
2000 Galarie Vartai, Vilnius, Lithuania
        Art for EXPO, The German House, New York
        Battersea Art Fair
        EXPO 2000, Hanover
1998 Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen
        Art Tm gallery, Inverness
1997 Nord/LB International, Hanover
1996 Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
        Dundee Biennial, McManus Gallery, Dundee
        Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh
1995 Seagate Gallery, Dundee
1994 Hommage a Kurt Schwitters, Barcelona
        Galerie August van Leendert, St Hubert
1993 Landes Museum Volk and Wirtschaft, Dusseldorf
        Collective Gallery, Edinburgh
        Galerie Simera Signe, Maastricht and Aachen
1992 Fine Art Society, Glasgow
        Galerie Die Gravure, Essen
1991 Cadogan Contemporary, London
        Alba Fine Art, London
1990 Compass Gallery, London
        Phillips Contemporary Art, Glasgow
           
Colin Brown was born in Dundee, Scotland in 1962.

Education:
Duncan of Jordanston College of Art, Dundee   1982-1987
B.A. Honours Degree in Fine Art (Painting)    1986
Post-Graduate Diploma in Fine Art (Painting)  1987

Awards:
The John Ross Scholarship                   1987
Awarded by The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
Studied in Florence, Italy
The Pollock-Krasner Award                   1996
Major Artist’s Grant from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, New York
Artist’s Assistance Grants. Awarded by The Scottish Arts council   1998 & 2006
Aberdeen Visual Arts Award                 2003 & 2006
Aspect Painitng Prize                       2005
Finalist, Runner Up Award

Collections:
Work represented in private collections in Scotland, Ireland, England, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgiem, USA, New Zealand, Japan, and in The Public Collections of Highland Regional Council, Scotland; Norddeutsche Landesbank, Hanover, Germany; and Grampian Arts Trust, Scotland.