MICHAEL BROWN
A Journey from Realism to Abstract

by Lucas Pilleri
(click images to enlarge)

Born and raised in Vancouver, Michael Brown, a West End painter with a career spanning over 50 years, has had an artistic journey that is as compelling as his work itself.

**Michael Brown's creative journey began with "high realism".**

From a young age, Michael was drawn to the canvas. "I was painting as a kid—oil painting and things like that," he recalls. "I remember in Grade One, my portrait of my father won a prize, and that kind of got me hooked."

Initially self-taught, Michael honed his skills by copying works of masters like Rembrandt, delving into high realism. "I just copied, you know, what I could see were masters' paintings," he says. "I started off with high realism because that's all I knew."

A Passion for Egg Tempera

However, it wasn't long before his path took a transformative turn. While pursuing a degree in zoology at UBC, he stumbled upon a fourth-year fine arts course on historical painting techniques.

"I snuck into this course because I needed arts credits," he admits with a chuckle. It was here that he encountered egg tempera, a medium that would define much of his career. "I kind of fell in love with it because you have to do everything from scratch. You don't just squeeze out a tube and get some paint."

Egg tempera was the primary method of painting until after 1500 when it was replaced by oil. It requires a laborious process of mixing pigments with egg yolk and water, and allows for layering and optical effects that are unique compared to other mediums. "It has a slightly different look than an oil painting," Michael explains. "The buildup of layers creates a depth that you can't quite replicate."

Despite his early devotion to realism, Michael’s creative direction shifted dramatically over the past 20 years. Today, his work leans heavily into abstract expressionism. "I can do high realism but I'm not as interested in it anymore."

The shift, he explains, was driven by a desire for spontaneity and unpredictability in his art. "When I was doing realism, I already knew what I wanted it to look like to begin with," he says. "Whereas with abstract, I don't know what it's going to be at all. I'm completely surprised by the end of it."

Embracing the Chaos

Michael’s current approach to painting is a fascinating blend of chaos and control. He often begins with a palette of colours he loves, such as ultramarine blue and an orange-red, and then experiments with various techniques to manipulate the paint.

**Untitled... so let your imagination run wild!**

"I've literally thrown the paint on," he describes. "I'm starting to manipulate it, scraping it away, moving the paint with pieces of plastic and things like that."

This improvisation almost always leads to unexpected results, which carry an illusionistic quality. Michael thereby challenges his viewers to make sense of the abstract forms by themselves. "Your brain wants to interpret it as something very specific or real," he says, "even though it wasn't a depiction of anything."

For Michael, his art is less about conveying a specific meaning and more about inviting viewers to have their own experiences. "To me, paintings don't have a specific meaning," he shares. "I don't want to impose... That's why I don't even like to title things. As soon as you title things, often you limit how it could be interpreted."

Michael’s work is a testament to the joy of exploration and the thrill of unexpected outcomes. Whether working late at night in his studio or experimenting with new techniques, he continues to push the boundaries of what can be done with egg tempera. "I like being surprised by a piece," he says with a smile, "and I think that's the most exciting part of what I do."

For those interested in seeing his work firsthand, Michael Brown’s studio at 1000 Parker Street is open during the Eastside Culture Crawl, November 14 - 17, 2024.