Robert W. Brown (July 12, 1917 – October 17, 2009) was an American serigrapher, arts educator, glassmaker and ceramicist.

Early life

Brown was born and raised in San Francisco and moved to

Glendale, California Glendale is a city located primarily in the Verdugo Mountains region, with a small portion in the San Fernando Valley, of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located about north of downtown Los Angeles. As of 2024, Glendale ha ...

, with his wife and young daughter in 1948, where he resided until his death. Brown obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from

San Francisco State College San Francisco State University (San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a public research university in San Francisco, California, United States. It was established in 1899 as the San Francisco State Normal School and is part of the Califor ...

and Master of Fine Arts degrees from both the California College of the Arts and Crafts (later renamed

California College of the Arts The California College of the Arts (CCA) is a private art school in San Francisco, California. It was founded in Berkeley, California in 1907 and moved to a historic estate in Oakland, California in 1922. In 1996, it opened a second campus in ...

), and the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

Post-educational career

From the 1940s to the 1980s, Brown produced a large body of serigraphic art. His serigraphs were notable for their bold and arresting use of color; they frequently won prizes and were shown in national graphic art exhibitions. These works explored a broad range of styles including figurative, abstract, and Op art. From the 1950s until shortly before his death, Brown also worked as a glass artist. He created vivid and distinctive fused stained glass pieces, described by the Los Angeles Times in 1967 as "usually the center of attention" of exhibits. He also combined serigraphy and glassmaking, creating silkscreens on glass. He produced a significant rendering in stained glass of the Twelve Tribes of Israel for Temple Adat Ari El in North Hollywood, California, and glass panes for the entrance to the Glendale First United Methodist Church. Brown was Professor of Fine Art at Glendale Community College from 1948 to 1983, focusing on life drawing and ceramics. He also taught printmaking and other art disciplines. The Associates of

Brand Library & Art Center Glendale Public Library is a name used for a group of eight library branches in Glendale, California, under the Library, Arts & Culture Department. Founded in 1907, the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Department includes six neighborhood librar ...

bestowed their 1975 Purchase Award on Brown's "Suburb" and the 1977 Purchase Award on his "Opposite but Equal". This award is given in conjunction with the Brand National Annual Juried Art Exhibition. After Brown's retirement from teaching, he focused much of his energy on glassmaking. In 2009, Brown's daughter Jan Reilly donated the work remaining in his art studio to the Associates of Brand Library & Art Center.

References

*"An Artist Prints A Mural", American Artist: p. 44. 1955-December.

External links

Collection Information Compiled by Associates of Brand Library & Art Center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Robert 1917 births 2009 deaths Artists from California California College of the Arts alumni