Bryce Brown's Christmas 2008 Wrap-Up

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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2008

What a mad year it's been!

We expanded our performing arts school in January, moving into a new purpose fitted building with beautiful sprung dance floors. Enrollments went through the roof! So did teaching and administration hours for Catherine, not to mention overheads! I exhibited around the same time. All during school holidays. Hottest time of the year in NZ! We moved house in August (coldest time of the year) during the worst storm to hit NZ in decades. I also created new a new art studio and the new art space for showing works. Then had the opening in September. I pretty much hit the wall after that!

Looking back over the last twelve months, knowing we survived that, during a recession, really only empowers us more. I think 2009 may be a challenging time for some people too, but this is callus building stuff and without calluses, we stay far too soft! To a degree, you just have to ignore the gloom makers, carry on, and look out for those who need your support during tough times.

2009

The Mission.

Keeping an even keel and slowly picking up speed! That's our mission for next year.
Apparently people turn to the arts a lot more in hard times, to nature their souls. Whether you create art, or listen to/look at art, it has a tendency to take you away from the moment and to put things a little more into perspective. This is an important thing to remember as an artist, that when that painting takes the artist on a personal journey during it's creation, the emotions of that moment will be imprinted into that work of art for as long as it exists, partially imparted to each person that comes in contact with it.

Goals.

I'll begin a series of paintings in the new year, portrait style works focusing completely on the figure as the subject. Not too many distractions with extra bits and busy scenery. Some of this years works like this that stand out as 'turning points' for me were Hope, Girl in a pensive mood and Agape.

I've thoroughly enjoyed making the last small works also, and I'm looking forward to creating more of these, working on canvases around 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8"). These present some interesting challenges, making small images take on the look and feel of my larger works. But the size creates an intimacy, the viewing space tends to become more personal, drawing the viewing in. It's very much this way when I am painting them also.


Experimentation.

I'm going to start work on a series of lino (or block) prints on unprimed canvas and handmade paper. This is completely new for me and I'm really looking forward to it! The imagery will be quite rustic, old world as with a lot of my paintings, produced specifically for producing limited prints which will all be hand crafted by me.
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Phone 07 577 1613

My studios will be open intermittently over the Christmas/New Year season. Only ever be a phone call away and am happy to meet with you daytime, evening, whatever suits.

Current artists are:

Meagan Theodore
Paintings with a bold and modern approach.

Rex O'Brien
Sculpture, flowing abstract form.

Bryce Brown
Paintings, coffee, chatting, etc.

John Staniford
Bold graphic depictions of East coast NZ.
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The 30% off sale on all of my work continues until December 31st. January 1st,
normal pricing resumes.

Hope to see you very soon, if not, have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!


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Mother and child | December 08

I have just finished this new piece (91 x 71 cm) which is a continuation of my exploration of the mother and child theme. This painting is rendered in my more bold, painterly style of a few years ago, but still bringing in the classicism of my recent works.


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