I graduated from Brigham Young University in 2002 with a
B.F.A. in Illustration. Toward the end
of my time at BYU it became clear to me that I wanted to be a painter more than
an illustrator. In 2000 the BYU Museum
of Art had an exhibition of Burton Silverman’s work that changed my outlook and
future goals. It was then that I first
realized there was nothing I’d rather do than paint beautiful pictures. I spent every day of that exhibition in the
museum copying Burton’s pictures. Around
this time I also had the good fortune of meeting and working with Bill
Whitaker, a brilliant portrait and figure painter who exposed me to many
methods and materials that immediately made me a more conscious and aware art
student. Unfortunately, upon graduation
from BYU, I also realized how deficient my university training was, so I
decided to attend the Florence Academy of Art.
It was here that I feel I truly began to understand the intricacies of
art and the fundamentals of its creation.
I graduated in 2008 from the Florence Academy of Art,
winning the Best Painting of the Year award and the Presidents Award for my
“Portrait of Nestor”. I also attended
the Hudson River School for Landscape in the summers of 2007 and 2008, working
with Jacob Collins and many other extremely gifted painters. My training and study made it clear to me how
important proper training is for art students.
Studying in a curriculum that was fashioned after the 19th
century Paris curriculum, I found clarity, and a depth and breadth of knowledge
that I didn’t know existed. It is because
of this understanding that I place such a high priority on proper
training. This priority led to the
opening of the Center for Academic Study and Naturalist Painting (CAS) in 2008.
The ultimate goal of the CAS is to
provide artists with an education that allows them to pursue and produce an art
that serves the public, elevates society and reestablishes the standards of art
as a visual language that can be understood and felt beyond any
boundaries. It is our belief that craft precedes artistry, knowledge
precedes inspiration, observation precedes invention and a process-based art
always yields a higher standard of work. Anyone who may be interested in finding out
more about this school, its curriculum and application process can visit my
website at www.ryansbrownart.com
I work mostly from life.
My larger paintings are a combination of observations from life that I
use to create my studio compositions.
Although much of the final works are made up of invention and design,
they always begin from life studies.
Observation for me is the key to invention and creativity.
As an artist trying to create the best paintings I can, it
has always been important for me to use the best materials I know of. Painting is difficult enough without the
handicap of substandard tools and materials.
I have used Trekell brushes for over 7 years now and I have not found
any better or more reliable brushes than these.
illustrator. In 2000 the BYU Museum
of Art had an exhibition of Burton Silverman’s work that changed my outlook and
future goals. It was then that I first
realized there was nothing I’d rather do than paint beautiful pictures. I spent every day of that exhibition in the
museum copying Burton’s pictures. Around
this time I also had the good fortune of meeting and working with Bill
Whitaker, a brilliant portrait and figure painter who exposed me to many
methods and materials that immediately made me a more conscious and aware art
student. Unfortunately, upon graduation
from BYU, I also realized how deficient my university training was, so I
decided to attend the Florence Academy of Art.
It was here that I feel I truly began to understand the intricacies of
art and the fundamentals of its creation.
n River School for Landscape in the summers of 2007 and 2008, working
with Jacob Collins and many other extremely gifted painters. My training and study made it clear to me how
important proper training is for art students.
Studying in a curriculum that was fashioned after the 19th
century Paris curriculum, I found clarity, and a depth and breadth of knowledge
that I didn’t know existed. It is because
of this understanding that I place such a high priority on proper
training. This priority led to the
opening of the Center for Academic Study and Naturalist Painting (CAS) in 2008.
The ultimate goal of the CAS is to
provide artists with an education that allows them to pursue and produce an art
that serves the public, elevates society and reestablishes the standards of art
as a visual language that can be understood and felt beyond any
boundaries. It is our belief that craft precedes artistry, knowledge
precedes inspiration, observation precedes invention and a process-based art
always yields a higher standard of work. Anyone who may be interested in finding out
more about this school, its curriculum and application process can visit my
website at 
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