Despite cultivating my art practice in earnest since 2018, this year I embarked on my first year of full-time art education at an academic institution. This took the form of a Foundation Diploma in Art & Design at The City Literary Institute. In some ways this felt ironic or like some kind of admission of failure, I had after all treated my first year of living in Spain as my own ‘self-directed foundation year’, even putting on my own show at the end of the year. But finding myself back in the UK, no longer part of an active art community and trying to move forward from the isolation of working through various lockdowns, the time felt right to embark on my first experience of something approaching ‘art school’. My last experience of formal art education had been taking GCSE art a very long time ago….
Continue reading “Reflections on a Year of Art Education”Pandemic Portraits
During December 2020, as we were in the midst of yet another lockdown, I drew a portrait a day of the people around me and a few via video-calls too. Some of these portraits I quite like, others I’d rather lose, but it feels right to document the full sequence in order. Looking at the self-portraits I can sense some of the mental turmoil I felt in those months.
Continue reading “Pandemic Portraits”On becoming an artist
In October 2018, I moved my life to Valencia, Spain, in search of a more artistic life. It was one big experiment to see what could happen if I put most of my time into making art. I thought of my first year as a ‘self-taught foundation year‘ and even put on my own end of year show.
Now, another year on, with the world turned upside down by a pandemic, I’ve decided to relocate to Kent, in the UK, for the foreseeable future. (Not that the future is desperately foreseeable these days, but you get the gist!) It’s a decision I wasn’t expecting to make and it is with a heavy heart. Living in Valencia over the last two years has been a hugely significant period in my life. So I thought I would take a moment to reflect on what I’ve learnt from my time in Valencia and on becoming an artist, so far!
Continue reading “On becoming an artist”The trees have eyes too
A mask and video-poem by K.L.Brown for a group show with the Valencia-based collective of artists Colonia Roma. This mask is currently on show at Casa Cabanyal in Valencia, until late October 2020.
Mask – tree bark, wire, wool, gouache.
Continue reading “The trees have eyes too”Lockdown Art Tally
I planned to spend 1 month in the UK, arriving in early March 2020, to host an art project, The Body Room, in London. As the COVID-19 situation has unfolded, I stayed and it has been almost 5 months now. As I get ready to return to Valencia in a few days time, I thought I’d make a tally of all the new and unexpected ways I’ve engaged in art during the lockdown. In a rough chronological order, it goes like this .. read along and see how many you recognise too!
Continue reading “Lockdown Art Tally”On Face as Mask and Self-Portraits
Since mid-March 2020, I’ve been seeing a lot more of my own face than normal. Yes, you’ve guessed it, like many other people, I’ve found myself on a merry go-round of video calls as a result of Covid-19. I’ve used video chat to keep in touch with friends and family, to keep working on art projects across borders and most recently to complete an 8-week online art course. And it’s exhausting. I’m no fan of screen-time at the best of times – yes, I’m one of those strange refuseniks who still doesn’t use Netflix! But beyond the eye-strain and tense undertone of blue screen light, I realised there was something particularly emotionally exhausting about the new prevalence of videochat. And mostly that was my face …
Continue reading “On Face as Mask and Self-Portraits”Flash Figures: Celebrating the Figure on Paper
‘Flash Figures: Celebrating the Figure on Paper’ brings together a diverse body of artists from the Valencia art scene, who all respond to the theme of the human figure in unique, beautiful and thought-provoking ways.
Continue reading “Flash Figures: Celebrating the Figure on Paper”361 Days : Arte y Vida en Valencia
It’s nearing the end of 2019 and I’ve been reflecting a little on my significant moments of the year, one of which was definitely my first art show. Continue reading “361 Days : Arte y Vida en Valencia”
Autumn 2019 – Life Studies
I started life drawing on a regular basis back in October 2018. I’ve written a few posts sharing my progress since then. And I’m due another, to reflect on my drawings from this Autumn. Continue reading “Autumn 2019 – Life Studies”
Club Floor
Pulsing
Lights swirling Continue reading “Club Floor”