05 May 2025

“Angkor Wat”, 2016

James Brown

Angkor Wat”, 2016

Oil on canvas

Size: 60 x 60 cm

This painting captures the ethereal beauty of a sunset over Angkor Wat. Based on a photograph I took from that unforgettable moment, it evokes the strong impression of the temple complex, silhouetted against the fiery sky, seemingly floating on the moat's reflective surface. The pointed tops of the temples, outlined against the fading light, create a sense of a distant mountain range, further emphasising the magical and almost dreamlike quality of the scene. My goal was to convey the fleeting, almost ephemeral nature of the moment, as if the entire vista were poised on the brink of disappearing.










30 April 2025

“Horizon 2”, 1977

James Brown

Horizon 2”, 1977

Acrylic on cartridge paper backed on canvas

Size: 51.4 x 69.2 cm

At the time I made this painting in 1977, I was grappling with the dominant trends in art like Abstract Minimalism, Colour Field Painting, and Performance Art. My interest in landscape painting felt dated and conceptually thin, overshadowed by these movements that seemed to have eclipsed the things I valued most: the thrill of expressing a pictorial subject through the expressive power of brushstrokes and colour.

My solution, as demonstrated in this painting, was a reductive approach to landscape. I simplified the scene down to a horizon line, focusing on a schematic representation of a headland, emphasizing the emotional impact of the landscape's form and light.









21 April 2025

“Landscape with Figures”, 1977

James Brown

“Landscape with Figures”, 1977

Acrylic with pencil on Arches paper backed on canvas

Size: 42.5 x 60 cm

Revisiting this painting, created almost five decades ago, offers a fascinating glimpse into my development. As a part-time instructor at Brisbane's College of Art, I was on the cusp of a significant career change. Just a year later, in 1978, I secured a full-time position at Townsville College of TAFE. This seemingly straightforward piece held a pivotal role in this transition, as it caught the eye of the College of Art's head, ultimately contributing to my appointment the following year.

More than just a painting, it represents a synthesis of artistic influences that deeply shaped my practice. Drawing inspiration from three key figures—Godfrey Miller, John Passmore and Ian Fairweather—I sought to absorb their distinctive approaches. I absorbed Miller's structured layering of strokes and rhythms, and his evocative use of spatial ambiguity. Passmore's direct handling of paint, and interplay of masses, became integral to my process. Finally, I adopted Fairweather's limited palette of earthy tones and his almost calligraphic brushstrokes. This painting, therefore, stands as a testament to the amalgamation of these influences, a critical juncture in my artistic evolution.












18 April 2025

“Bush Trail, Cranbrook”, 2025

James Brown

“Bush Trail, Cranbrook”, 2025

Oil on canvas

Size: 25 x 35 cm

This small painting carries a rich history that began on an outdoor painting expedition with my good friend, Ron McBurnie. We selected our painting site in a narrow stretch of bushland nestled between Townsville’s Ross River and a row of nearby houses, just a short stroll from the riverbank. This area, best described as a nature strip, serves as a sanctuary for wallabies, brush-turkeys, snakes, and even ticks, and is punctuated by a shallow creek.

Initially, my goal was to create a drawing of the surrounding trees using only Burnt Sienna ink on the canvas. Armed with twigs and bits of bark as makeshift drawing tools, I aimed to capture a raw, organic representation of the landscape. However, my initial attempts fell short of my expectations; the marks felt more perfunctory than expressive, and the occasional splatters of ink were simply unfortunate rather than beautiful acts of serendipity. Rather than abandoning the project, I chose to rework the ink stage by layering oil colour, allowing the painting to evolve through a series of revisions. Interestingly, traces of the original ink drawing remain visible, particularly on the left side of the canvas.










13 March 2025

“The Goreme Valley”, 2023

James Brown

“The Goreme Valley”, 2023

Oil on board

Size: 45 x 45 cm

This painting depicts a small section of the vast panoramic view of the Göreme Valley as seen from the high lookout at Aydinli-Orta Mh in Cappadocia, central Türkiye. It highlights one of nature’s most remarkable geological formations: the erosion-carved rock pinnacles known as "fairy chimneys," some adorned with cave dwellings carved by early inhabitants.

During my stay in Cappadocia, Isabelle and I had the extraordinary opportunity to lodge in one of these rock-carved caves for a few days. From personal experience, I can attest that the gritty texture of the rock—its walls, roof, and floor—is an unmistakable aspect of the experience. This fine, pervasive dust has a way of infiltrating your bed and luggage, leaving a lasting reminder of life within the caves.

In creating this painting, I aimed to capture the essence of these rugged, weathered rock towers. To achieve this effect, I applied the paint in a dry, scumbled manner, using a greater proportion of white pigment than I typically do. This intentional choice allowed me to create a chalky, crumbly quality in the paint, effectively echoing the textures of the fairy chimneys and the caves that punctuate them.