News and Reviews


2009 December



View the first painting in the series here.


2009 September



2009 July










April 2009



Changes in the World
As an artist, a family man, a New Zealander and as just another person on planet Earth, I see some pretty amazing
stuff going on in the world at the moment. Yes, it's official and undeniable, we are going through a global recession.
To quote one of my good clients in Europe "Cost reduction is on the table in these times of economic troubles. In my
region many people living beyond their means are in serious trouble now. The time of expensive SUV cars and showy
stuff has probably passed... We were always focusing on things with real value, such as your paintings or a large
vegetables garden instead of expensive objects aiming only to impress the neighbourhood. I believe that developed
countries will have to learn living more efficiently, which is a progress from my point of view." I won't try to sum things
up any better than that!

Art in the Recession
Whilst large auction houses are reporting a drop in art sales, living artists are seeing fairly good consistency in sales.
The art buying public are becoming more aware that artists who are progressive and constantly working towards
better things are worth following. It's an interesting journey to be part of and to support.


Read this article on The Art of Investment from The NZ Herald April 12 2009


Selling in NZ and Overseas
I have sold nearly everything I have painted in the last twelve months. At least ninety percent of these sales are to
people who have come to me directly. Around forty percent of my works go overseas. I have reduced prices often on
older works and in one case, sent a painting to Scotland through New Zealand post, rolled in a tube which cost
NZD 35.00 (I covered the cost!) but it made the sale happen. Ecologically, this makes sense anyway. I'm happy to
export paintings, but I don't really need to export wood!



Prices on my new works are still increasing, probably more slowly than I'd planned due to the recession. I'm
producing some of my finest work. I've really slowed down the process, spending more time on each piece.
In 2005, my first year of painting full-time, I had three exhibitions and painted probably forty paintings! I now paint
about twelve works in a year but my prices have doubled, something I've been working towards for some time.

Getting through
Like I am right now, a spend a good part of my time marketing myself and my work. I try hard to keep people
informed of what I'm up to with new work, occasionally showing the progress of new works, sharing as much as I
can of what I do. Recessions don't last, that's a fact. We all need to get through tough times together. My wife and I
live off the arts (she owns and runs a performing arts school) and have always had to get by and to think outside the
square to survive. We and our four kids live in a (very nice) industrial area which has some bad but mostly good bits.
We have an apartment above my art studio with a nice courtyard downstairs and a small vegetable patch. We're two
minutes from our harbour and an amazing wetland walk. We are 30 seconds away from Catherine's Dance studio.
Everything we do is about simplification and appreciation of small things.



My Studio
Seeing as we live above it, I'm usually not far from my studio. I have older works here from up to ten years back.
Some of them I still like a lot. I also have a couple of new works on the wall. I like visitors, you don't have to feel that
you're here as a buyer, just come and appreciate! If there's something you like, let me know. Just let me know ahead
of time if you plan to pop in (I'll make sure I have some good coffee). I'm not really pushing The Art Space at the moment.
It's just a nice place to hang and show my work.

Easter
I'll be here over Easter, if you're around for the Jazz Festival I may see you! If you would like to have a look at some
paintings, phone or send a message to 0274 451192. I will be closed Good Friday, Easter Sunday, but apart from that
would be happy to make time to see you. Also, don't forget if you are near Holy Trinity Church near the CBD on
Devonport Road, have a look at my painting Agape which is on loan till the week of April 20.


Download newsletter as a PDF


March 2009


Bay of Plenty Times article




download jpg (582 KB)
download PDF (8.2 MB)



February 26th 2009


Agapé featured on the cover of the March issue of Marist Messenger.



Story of a Painting: Agape
by Bryce Brown
Agapé - after Michelangelo’s Pieta (1497-1500).
In the year 1500 AD, Michelangelo Buonarotti completed what is said to be one of his most highly-finished works, Pieta. He apparently was so pleased with it, that it is the only piece he ever actually signed.
I have always been attracted to the Mother and Child subject, particularly when portrayed as a ‘Madonna and child’ or when a piece conjures up feelings for this age-old subject.
Obviously two of the most important times in the life of Jesus Christ, were His birth and His death, the latter which I have finally chosen to paint, after Michelangelo’s Pieta.
In Pieta, the Virgin Mary’s youthful appearance can be attributed to the fact that the viewer is actually looking at an image of Mary holding the baby Jesus. Mary’s youthful appearance and apparently serene facial expression, coupled with the position of the arms could suggest that she is seeing her child, while the viewer is seeing an image of the future. As a parent, this is the explanation that appeals most to me, although there are other theories as to why Michelangelo chose to do this.
Agapé means ‘love’ in modern day Greek. In biblical literature, its meaning and usage is illustrated by self-sacrificing, giving love to all - both friend and enemy.
I have chosen to name the painting Agapé so as not to lament the death of Christ, but to celebrate his sacrifice and to reflect upon what was was gained more so than lost.
I began working on this painting onWednesday 12th March 2008, and finished on Friday 9 April 2008.
See the making of Agapé.


August 23rd 2008

With guest artists including Dave Roy, Graham Crow, Lisa Christiansen, Finela Moore, Monika Welsh, John Staniford (Napier) Peter and Cramond.


Artists Bryce Brown and Dave Roy

View more here.





Labour a player in Tauranga: PM
Exert from Bay of Plenty Times article 20jun 08

IMPRESSED: Prime Minister Helen Clark at the opening of the new Creative Tauranga offices with, from left, Creative Tauranga CEO Tracey Rudduck, artist Doreen McNeil and Creative Tauranga
president Grant Sowter. [Background painting 'Agape' by Bryce Brown.]

PICTURE / JOHN BORREN 190608JB06BOP

Miss Clark crisscrossed the city yesterday, opening the new Creative Tauranga office and gallery on the corner of Willow and
Wharf streets, speaking at the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce lunch in the Mills Reef Winery restaurant, meeting the students
and staff at Otumoetai College and socialising with Tauranga Her Business group at Bravo Cafe.Surrounded by 25 paintings
from local artists in the crisp Creative Tauranga office, Ms Clark - the Minister for Arts and Culture - said she couldn't think of any
other community arts council that has combined an exhibition space.``You have incredible visual artists and that's something to
celebrate; arts and culture is for everyone, not just for the elite. Across the corner are the art galley and the i-Site, centre, and
Creative Tauranga will become another place on the visitor trail in the downtown.'' Miss Clark also noted that the proposed
museum was ``not completely on the back burner; it's on one of the middle burners and I wish you well - part of the vision is to
celebrate the local heritage''.


Article featured in Creative Beat - courtesy Bay of Plenty Times.




Click on pages above to view PDF.




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New Zealand's Favourite Artists Calendar - courtesy Saint publishing .
New Zealand's Favourite artists calendar 2008

If you are interested in ordering signed copies in September - please enquire. RRP is NZD 24.99.

2008 OCTA Associates Ltd Calendar - courtesy Saint publishing .






2007 Vero Calendar .

Earlier this year Palette gallery was approached to submit images of artworks for possible inclusion in the 2007 Vero calendar.
Bryce Brown's painting 'The Teracotta Bath' has been chosen as the December image for the 2007 calendar  
This calendar features New Zealand Art and is distributed to Vero’s (Insurance) clients and business partners all over the country.
 
Last year’s quality A2 sized calendar earned Gold in the New Zealand Pride in Print Awards. Artists featured were Gretchen Albrecht,
Galia Amsel, Rita Angus, Don Binney, Fatu Feu’u, Nicky Foreman, Michael Hight, Michael Illingworth, Richard Killeen, Andy Leleisi’uao,
Trevor Moffit, Michael Moore and William Sutton.

This year Vero clients and business partners will see another terrific selection of New Zealand artists including Jon Tootill, John Staniford,
Colin McCahon, Rita Angus, Ralph Hotere and Shane Cotton.

This is a highly estimed publication to be featured in. Please contact Palette gallery for more info.



New Zealand's Favourite Artists - published 2006 by Saint Publishing.

Bryce Brown is one of sixty New Zealand artists chosen to be published in the soon to be released book
'New Zealand's Favourite Artists'. This will be volume 2 of the successful ‘Art New Zealand Today’ book (with a different name).
First published in 2002,the 128-page book has been one of the country’s biggest-selling books on New Zealand art.
The new book, to be published in September 2006 will be of a similar size and format, a double-page spread each
featuring the details and a selection of works of a further 60 artists exhibiting in New Zealand. Volume 2 together
with the earlier book will build a comprehensive reference of current emerging and established artists.


New Zealand's Favourite Artists

This has become New Zealand's top selling book on NZ contemporary art.

Email for more information



New Zealand's Favourite Artists Calendar - click here



U.S gallery representation

Bryce Brown's paintings are now available through two U.S galleries, Discovery Galleries in Washington D.C
and W.A.R.D gallery in Harbor Springs, Michigan. Please click on the links to visit these galleries or if they are
in your area, call in to see them and view the paintings.

W.A.R.D gallery has been operating for 16 years in Harbor Springs and its principle focus is fine art. They have
added Bryce to their already impressive collection of representational and abstract artists from around
the world.

Discovery galleries are Washington D.C's premier gallery representing some of the world's leading artists including
surrealist painter Rob Gonsalves. They have been operating for twelve years and specialize in finding and promoting
artists throughout their career.

Please visit these galleries online and email or phone them to find out more.



New addition to The John Deere International Art Collection


Brothers 1220 x 1820 mm acrylic on canvas

April 2005

John Deere International have just added the painting 'Brothers' to there impressive collection in the
USA. It has been nearly 20 years since any new paintings have been added to the John Deere Art
collection which houses around seven hundred works from artists such as Grant Wood, Magdalena
Abakanowicz, Alexander Obregon, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Liu Kuo-Sung and Ernesto Barreda.

'It [Brothers] is a truly wonderful piece of art and speaks to our business and customers in a unique
way. The
John Deere Art Collection is home to artworks from around the world, each of them
representing a country in which we do business. Your painting will be our representation of New
Zealand and will be displayed in our Worldwide Headquarters in Moline, Illinois, USA.' Says Lisa
Spurgeon, curator of the collection.

Brothers was part of the Dunedin exhibition 'Amici'.

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