DEVITT BROWN, Opens January 11, 2007, Elliott Louis Gallery, Vancouver
"Umbilical and the drain"
Devitt Brown, "Umbilical and the drain," acrylic on panel, 23" x 26".
DEVITT BROWN
Elliott Louis Gallery, Vancouver
Opens January 11, 2007
By Beverly Cramp
Self-taught mixed media artist Devitt Brown knows street culture. His large photo-realistic and stenciled works often depict the rawness and lurking danger of the street. “My history involves lots of participation in street culture, though I wouldn’t say I live on the street,” says the Yukon native who has made Vancouver home since the age of 17. “My birth father has been homeless since I was a kid but I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to alter the course of my life, including making artwork.” Brown, who goes by the name the dark, first started creating art in high school. After graduation, his art production dropped off until a friend gave him a book four years ago that depicted images of street art using masking and stenciling. “I really liked it. I began cutting a few stencils and ran around Vancouver streets painting graffiti,” he says. Now Brown works in his studio full-time, often 12 hours a day. He works from photographic images and stencils, layering colours that often produce muted, dark effects.
Represented by: Elliott Louis Gallery, Vancouver.
