Janice Creenaune meets Ian Brown, a life-long resident of Thirroul and Bulli who, after retiring from lecturing in Visual Arts and leading UOW’s School of Education, is still making art and helping others to learn too.
Ian Brown began his career by training as a classroom teacher and a passion for education continued throughout his working life. He has taught young teachers and children of all ages, and worked as a lecturer in Visual Arts at UOW. Ian completed a PhD in Art Policy Theory and, having achieved such titles as Honorary Professor and Fellow of UOW, was well equipped to contribute to teacher education in Australia. Remarkably, he has also influenced many others around the world.
At 65 and retired, Ian is not about to stop. He always had an interest in art but 20 years ago he started short courses at the National Art School, Willoughby Arts Centre and Hazelhurst in Gymea.
“Acrylic painting, traditional Japanese woodblock, zinc etching with aquatint. I studied a bit of everything stylistically, but the courses offered me influences,” he says. “I recently made a mono-print collage on Japanese paper and it seemed to unconsciously tailor into a landscape,
or looked like a landscape, printed not painted. It is organic, fluid with often random marks making a collage recreated from little torn pieces.
“Sometimes I work on wood, in acrylic, and then sand it back and create a texture in abstract form in multiple layers. My works do not stand in any specific genre or style, but are loosely contemporary in aspect. Landscapes feature unconsciously, often, maybe because of my local surroundings, but it is the perception of the viewer that is most important to me and as a contemporary artist. It is the abstract expressionism, with particular emphasis on the ‘expression’ that is at my core of belief.”
Ian says his studio space is “open and fluid”.
“There is no locking away for me. I love people around me, my family, friends in collaboration, even cooking while I work on my art.”
He enjoys working with other artists, particularly with the Illawarra Association for the Visual Arts (IAVA).
“We all have similar interests and a passion for contemporary art in particular.
“IAVA recently held a very successful exhibition, TEN, celebrating 10 years of IAVA, at the Clifton School of Arts.”
Education remains firmly in Ian’s psyche. During the pandemic Ian was an integral member of the ‘Bright Start’ Program, delivering ‘Parenting in the Pandemic’ workshops that were developed for and delivered virtually to parents and teachers in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Ian’s achievements reveal a passion for art and education and he and wife, Rita, are a dynamic duo in education circles in the local area and beyond.
Writer Janice Creenaune is a volunteer for PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) Foundation Australia. Email janicecreenaune@gmail.com or phone 4267 4880.
