The Scottish Gallery | John Brown | Towards Abstraction | July 2018

JOHN

BROWN

TOW ARDS ABSTR

TOWARDS ABSTRACTION Collage helps to structure a composition, moving the eye across the picture plane rather than creating three dimensional form or pictorial space.

I nearly always begin a painting by sticking paper, cloth, card, newspaper on to a board to build a compositional framework, working from large to small. For the pastel drawings of Branches in Burgundy I prepared a sketchbook of collaged pages and bought a new box of pastels!

In front of the motif I selected the page best suited to the mood of that subject and this became my starting point. Unexpected relationships of colour and texture frequently appear as pastel and paper react together offering welcome “happy accidents�. Working intuitively like this often allows the painting to lead the artist.

My studio in Edinburgh is less than fifty metres from my house, across a pebble path, past a pond full of tadpoles and a wild area with Silver Birches. Gardening for me is a happy companion to painting. It is a similar passion and process, albeit a slower one. My morning inspection of the garden leads to the door of my studio, the walls filled with drawings from my travels, the floor littered with collage material waiting for the Brown magpie to discover a gem that becomes a good starting point.

In this exhibition my inspiration for the larger pieces, unlike my previous bodies of work, is multi-sourced rather than formed from a single and selected theme. Revisiting sketch books from Havana, Catalonia, Cilento and Tuscany, I have enjoyed taking familiar images down a transitional path from representationalism towards abstraction.

John Brown, May 2018

JOHN BROWN

TOW ARDS ABSTR ACTION

THE

SCOTTISH

GALLERY

CONTEMPORARY ART SINCE 1842

04—28 JULY 2018 16 DUNDAS STREET EDINBURGH EH3 6HZ +44 (0) 131 558 1200 mail@scottish-gallery.co.uk scottish-gallery.co.uk

Photocredit opposite page: Pietro Cenini

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A PLACE IN RECOLLECTION The concept of an abstract image is subjective; all images are open to differing interpretation. Since Malevich, who is generally credited with making the first abstract image, painters have sometimes sought to eliminate easily identifiable motifs. Instead the hope is to engender an emotional response from a viewer: Rothko even listed the elements which he believed made up meaning in his painting: death, sensuality, tension, irony, play, chance and hope. Another approach is for the painter to choose a subject deliberately beyond a conventional reading, an expanse of sea without a horizon, a tangle of wild growth around a pond, or the crumbling walls and repainted door of a Havana tenement. In this way the viewer can be transported to a place through a physical/emotional catch, a subconscious response to be reconciled with our own interpretation, sometimes assisted by a title. This is where John Brown’s Towards Abstraction is found. He writes of how collaged elements can be a starting point for his composition, and here he shares a technique with Scottish painters such as Duncan Shanks and Joan Eardley.

He often works on the studio floor so he can attack from any aspect (many expressionist painters will also turn their canvas through one hundred and eighty degrees to get over an impasse). It is the reconciliation between the act of painting (each mark is after all an abstract gesture) and the inner-eye, the artist’s vision of a place in recollection, including heat and smell and the hum of life that lends the authentic and aesthetic satisfaction. In Tuscany and Burgundy, or the wild coast of Cilento, looking out over the Tyrrhenian Sea, over burnt fields, in amongst wild growth, Brown has filled sketchbooks and memory banks and in the larger paintings, perhaps for the first time, allowed intuition to guide his brush in his journey towards abstraction.

Guy Peploe, May 2018

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01

HAVANA BALCONY ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 183 x 107 CMS

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02

AL FRESCO MEAL, BRANCHES, FRANCE PASTEL AND COLLAGE 25 x 48.5 CMS

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FIGURE ON THE BALCONY, BRANCHES ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 117 x 94 CMS

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SUMMER FIELDS, BRANCHES ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 122 x 105 CMS

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CILENTO CHARRED LANDSCAPE ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 86.5 x 117 CMS

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BURNT HILLSIDE, CILENTO ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 81.5 x 76 CMS

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GOLDEN HORIZON, HAVANA ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 167.5 x 183 CMS

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HARBOUR SANTA MARIA, CILENTO PASTEL 32.5 x 25 CMS

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SUN SEA AND SAND, CILENTO ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 81.5 x 76 CMS

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FISHING BOATS SANTA MARIA, CILENTO ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 76 x 81.5 CMS

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MEMORIES OF CENTRO HABANA ACRYLIC 117 x 127 CMS

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RED LILY, EDINBURGH PASTEL 61 x 24.5 CMS

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PROTECTING THE VINES, ROUTE DE BRANCHES PASTEL AND COLLAGE 24.5 x 24.5 CMS

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FIELDS OF SUNFLOWERS, CINQ CLAUS, CATALONIA ACRYLIC 107 x 117 CMS

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VILLAGE DE BRANCHES PASTEL AND COLLAGE 24.5 x 24 CMS

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SAN BIAGIO, TOSCANA PASTEL 19.5 x 27.5 CMS

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FIELDS AROUND BRANCHES PASTEL AND COLLAGE 24.5 x 24 CMS

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DOGS AT DAWN CINQ CLAUS, CATALONIA PASTEL 20 x 24.5 CMS

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SAN BIAGIO AND MONTEPULCIANO, TUSCANY ACRYLIC 99 x 139.5 CMS

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20

HARVEST TIME, ROUTE DE CHICHERY PASTEL 49 x 24.5 CMS

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HARVEST FIELDS NEAR VILLEMER PASTEL AND COLLAGE 24.5 x 24 CMS

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SMALL ORCHARD, RUE DE LA MONTAGNE

CHARRED HILLSIDE, CILENTO

PASTEL 24.5 x 24.5 CMS

PASTEL 24.5 x 24.5 CMS

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ROUTE DE VILLEMER PASTEL AND COLLAGE 25 x 24 CMS

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HARVEST FIELDS NEAR CHICHERY PASTEL 24 x 24 CMS

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PATCHWORK OF FIELDS NEAR GUERCHY ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 94 x 117 CMS

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ORCHARD NEAR CHICHERY PASTEL 24.5 x 24 CMS

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CINQ CLAUS, CATALONIA

OLIVE AND FIG TREES, NEAR CHEMILLY-SUR-YONNE

PASTEL 27.5 x 19.5 CMS

PASTEL 24.5 x 24 CMS

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WISTERIA AND HOLLYHOCKS, BRANCHES PASTEL AND COLLAGE 25 x 49 CMS

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LANDSCAPE TOWARDS GUERCHY

TOWARDS THE ANTOROUTE DU SOLEIL

PASTEL AND COLLAGE 24.5 x 24.5 CMS

PASTEL AND COLLAGE 24.5 x 24 CMS

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SUMMER IN A BURGANDY LANDSCAPE ACRYLIC 117 X 94 CMS

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REFLECTIONS IN A LILY POND, BRANCHES ACRYLIC 117 X 94 CMS

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LILY POND REFLECTIONS, BRANCHES PASTEL 24.5 x 24 CMS

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WATERLILIES AND REFLECTIONS, BRANCHES PASTEL AND COLLAGE 24 x 48.5 CMS

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GOLDEN FISH IN THE LILY POND, BRANCHES

ALISON DRAWING ON THE BALCONY, BRANCHES

PASTEL AND COLLAGE 25 x 24.5 CMS

PASTEL AND COLLAGE 25 x 24.5 CMS

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LILY POND, BRANCHES PASTEL AND COLLAGE 25 x 48.5 CMS

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SWEET PEAS, EDINBURGH PASTEL 31 x 30.5 CMS

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TANGLE OF SWEET PEAS, EDINBURGH ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 81.5 x 76 CMS

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BALCONY AND DOORWAY, HAVANA ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 101.5 x 107 CMS

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SWEET PEA TRELLIS, EDINBURGH PASTEL 24.5 x 24 CMS

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ENTRANCE, BRANCHES PASTEL AND COLLAGE 25 x 24.5 CMS

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DOORS AND WINDOWS, HAVANA ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 107 x 96.5 CMS

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LILY POND ACTIVITY, BRANCHES PASTEL AND COLLAGE 25 x 24.5 CMS

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HOLLYHOCKS, BRANCHES ACRYLIC 117 X 94 CMS

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FIELD OF GOLD ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 107 x 97 CMS

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SCARECROW, ROUTE DE GUERCHY COLLAGE 25 x 24.5 CMS

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IN A LANDSCAPE WITH BLACK CROWS MIXED MEDIA 97 x 88 CMS

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ENTRANCE TO THE BARN, BRANCHES ACRYLIC AND COLLAGE 117 X 94 CMS

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Photocredit: Pietro Cenini

“ REVISITING SKETCHBOOKS FROM HAVANA, CATALONIA, CILENTO AND TUSCANY, I HAVE ENJOYED TAKING FAMILIAR IMAGES DOWN A TRANSITIONAL PATH FROM REPRESENTATIONALISM TOWARDS ABSTRACTION.” JOHN BROWN, 2018

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JOHN CALDWELL BROWN RSW

1945

Born in Scotland

1963 – 68

Glasgow School of Art

Graduated D.A. in Drawing and Painting

ONE PERSON EXHIBITIONS 2018

The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

2015

Stafford Gallery, Wimbledon

2014

The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

2011

The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

2010

Rendezvous Gallery, Aberdeen

Duncan Miller Fine Arts, London

2009

The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

Lemon Street Gallery, Truro

2008

Duncan Miller Fine Arts, London

2007

Duncan Miller Fine Arts, London

2006

The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

2005

Duncan Miller Fine Arts, London

Richmond Hill Gallery, London

2004

The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

2003

John Davies Gallery, Stow-on-the-Wold

Richmond Hill Gallery, London

2002

Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh

2001

The John Davies Gallery, Stow-on-the-Wold

Duncan R Miller Fine Arts, London

2000

Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh

Duncan R Miller Fine Arts, London

1999

Duncan R Miller Fine Arts, London

1998

Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh

1996

Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh

Duncan R Miller Fine Arts, London

1992

The Torrance Gallery, Edinburgh

1979

Moray House, Edinburgh

1976

Duncan R Miller Fine Arts, London

1970

Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow

AWARDS 1967

Royal Academy – Landscape Studentship Award

Royal Scottish Academy – Maclaine Watters Bronze Medal

1968

Glasgow School of Art – Post Diploma Exhibition – Highly Commended

Royal Scottish Academy – Carnegie Travelling Scholarship

Glasgow School of Art – Cargill Travelling Scholarship

1969

Travelling Scholarship to European countries

1970

Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts – James Torrance Award

1993

Society of Scottish Artists and Artists Craftsmen – Arts Club Award

Society of Scottish Artists and Artists Craftsmen – Scottish Provident Award

1994

Heinzel Gallery Award

Elected Member of visual Arts Scotland

1996

Elected Member of Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour

2005

Alexander Graham Munro Award – RSW RSW Council Award

2010

Charles Rennie Macintosh Association Residency, Collioure France

Paisley Art Institute Plein Aire Prize

TEACHING 1968

Children’s art classes at Glasgow School of Art

Evening life classes at Glasgow School of Art

1970 – 72

Resident tutor at Culzean for Glasgow School of Art

1971 – 86

Director of Art, Fettes College, Edinburgh

1986 – 88

Director of Art, Malvern College

1988 – 1997 Head of Art, The Edinburgh Academy, Edinburgh 1991 – 98

Visiting Lecturer at Leith School of Art, Edinburgh

1994 – 98

Visiting Lecturer, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh

WORKS PURCHASED BY Robert Fleming Holdings Ltd Scottish Life Assurance Co. Ltd John Menzies plc Korean Embassy Lillie Art Gallery University of Edinburgh British Steel Dunfermline Building Society Kuwait Royal Family Hugh Martin & Partners Royal Bank of Scotland Aida Cherfran Gallery Beirut Aberdeen Asset Management, Edinburgh WORKS IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation, London Scottish Life Assurance Co. Ltd, Edinburgh John Menzies plc Korean Embassy Lillie Art Gallery, Glasgow University of Edinburgh British Steel, Lincolnshire Dunfermline Building Society Kuwait Royal Family Hugh Martin Partnership, Edinburgh Royal Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh Aida Cherfran Gallery, Beirut Aberdeen Asset Management, Edinburgh

Published by The Scottish Gallery to coincide with the exhibition:

JOHN BROWN

TOW ARDS ABSTR ACTION 04—28 JULY 2018 CREDITS

ISBN: 9781 910267 81 3 Designer: Sigrid Schmeisser Photography: John McKenzie Printer: JThomson Framing: Brien and Brown Ltd

THE

SCOTTISH

GALLERY

CONTEMPORARY ART SINCE 1842 16 DUNDAS STREET • EDINBURGH EH3 6HZ +44 (0) 131 558 1200 • mail@scottish-gallery.co.uk • scottish-gallery.co.uk

HAVANA CATALONIA CILENTO

TUSCANY

THE

SCOTTISH

GALLERY

CONTEMPORARY ART SINCE 1842