About the Artist

Brian first began working with pastels while attending the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1990. Since then, he has concentrated on pastel paintings of landscapes as well as still lifes and portraits.  He currently resides in Palatine, Illinois, with his wife and two children.

Artist Statement
Ever since I began working as an artist, I've been intrigued with light on form, color, atmosphere and composition. The paintings I create are about observing, searching, reacting and experimenting. I’m constantly absorbing nature and I'm amazed at the array of colors and values that can be seen by the human eye.

I want people to notice and appreciate the beauty of things seen in everyday life. Whether it’s a piece of fruit nestled in a basket on a countertop or a sunset casting a long shadow of a tree across the snow, there is beauty to be found everywhere.  I’m inspired by nature and try to capture its essence through my pastel paintings.  I see my work as snapshots of life and hope to connect with viewers who share my same admirations.

I'm influenced by many styles and periods of art including Impressionism and draw inspiration from various artists such as N.C. Wyeth, Edgar Degas, and John Singer Sargent.
 
Professional Affiliations

Prismacolor Advisory Council Member
Pastel Society of America – Signature Member (PSA)
Chicago Pastel Painters - Vice President and Distinguished Member (DCPP)
Midwest Pastel Society, Wilmette Arts Guild,
Great Lakes Pastel Society

Gallery Representation
Proud Fox Gallery – Geneva, IL
Button-Petter Gallery, Douglas, MI

Awards and Shows

Honorable Mention - 14th Annual Pastel 100 Competition - Pastel Journal Magazine - April 2013
Bronze Award - 13th Annual Pastel 100 Competition - Pastel Journal Magazine - Featured article in April issue 2012
Jack Richeson & Company Award - 2011 Chicago Pastel Painters 3rd Biennial National Juried Exhibition
3rd Place - 2010 Chicago Pastel Painters member show
National Winner - 2009 Best of America Pastel Artists and Artisans
1st place -  2008 Prairie State Art Festival – Arlington Park Racecourse
Sanford Pastel Award,  2008 – Chicago Pastel Painters, member show
Award of Merit, 2007 Pastel Society of the Southwest, 26th Annual Juried Exhibition
Best of Show – 2007 Art in Your Eye, Batavia, IL
National Winner - 2007 Best of America Pastel Artists and Artisans
Heilman Design Award,  2007 – Chicago Pastel Painters, 1st Biennial National Show
Award of Excellence, 2007 Barrington  Fine Art Fair
3rd Place. 2006 An Art Affair Around the Square, Palatine, IL
Award of Excellence, 2006 A Walk in the Park - Arlington Heights Art Guild
Award of Excellence, 2006 Barrington Fine Art Fair
ViewPoint 2005, 37th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition - Cincinnati Art Club
Honorable Mention, 1997 Midwest Pastel Society National  
    Juried Exhibition, Schaumburg, IL
Award of Excellence, 1997 Barrington Fine Art Fair
Honorable Mention, 1995 Glenview Art Fair, Glenview, IL
Award of Excellence, 1994 Art in the Market, Arlington Heights, IL
Award of Excellence, 1994 Des Plaines Art Fair, Des Plaines, IL
Best of Show, 1994 Prairie Arts Festival, Schaumburg, IL
Best of Show, 1990 Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Milwaukee, WI
MIAD Venture Scholarship, 1987
Frederick Layton Scholarship, 1986

Education
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design - Bachelor of Fine Art, May 1990