“Miena (Oval),” 2025

James Brown

“Miena (Oval),” 2008

Pastel on wood panel

Size: 35.5 x 27.8 cm 

I have a leaning towards rounded formats. I guess they feel softer for the eye and invite an inward gaze—a tunnel-like vision of the man’s perspective. With oval and circular shapes, I find that the curved border can sometimes make the image seem like an object floating within its surround—especially at the corners of the panel. While this isn’t necessarily an artist’s problem, it’s an issue that catches my eye and can interrupt the inward journey into the pictorial space of the work. 

My “solution” here was to gently soften the edges of the oval and introduce linework into the otherwise blank corners of the panel, helping them to appear more integrated into the composition. 

This pastel went through many changes—scraping, washing away, layering—almost like a battleground with a history of shifting and accommodating to “get things right.” The scene itself—a view through treed scrub in Miena, Tasmania—may not have been of utmost importance, even though it held memories of a past trip. It simply served as a framework to build the image upon. 

“7.00pm at the Rockpool, Townsville,” 2008

James Brown

“7.00pm at the Rockpool, Townsville,” 2008

Oil on canvas

Size: 59.5 x 50 cm

The Rockpool is a popular, free public swimming enclosure located on the seashore promenade (“The Strand”) in Townsville. It is designed to protect swimmers from potential dangers lurking in the ocean—such as sharks, sea snakes, and jellyfish. 

The Rockpool is situated below the headland where Jezzine Barracks was once a military base. The location is called “Kissing Point”, possibly because ship’s keels “kissed” (lightly touched) the shallow sandy bottom there, rather than the area being associated with romance.

“Tall Ship at Skeppsholmen Island, Stockholm,” 2025

James Brown

“Tall Ship at Skeppsholmen Island, Stockholm,” 2025

Pastel on wood panel

Size: 35.6 x 27.8 cm

When I took the photograph that inspired this pastel in 2025, the day was cold, drizzling, and rather bleak. Isabelle and I were out for our morning walk when we witnessed a group of brave souls strip down to their underwear and dive into the icy water—crazy, but undoubtedly exhilarating! 

Across the harbour, this tall ship—likely the “Af Chapman”—was moored at Skeppsholmen. With its striking white hull and intricate rigging, it exuded a sense of radiant grandeur that felt almost regal amidst the lively chaos of the swimmers nearby. 

I chose to work in pastel to capture the scene’s shimmering sparkle. While I took some liberties with vivid colours—departing from the more muted greys of the photograph—I felt that the lively contrasts and rich hues would better animate the scene and convey its energy and vibrancy.

“York Minster,” 2026

James Brown

“York Minster (Oil),” 2026

Oil on wood panel

Size: 51 x 40.5 cm

Approximately six months before creating this painting, I worked on a pastel drawing on a small wooden panel, based on the same photograph I took of the West Front of York Minster in North Yorkshire, Northern England. 

In both cases, I wasn’t really painting the Minster in all its iconic and poetic glory—a true landmark with its imposing Gothic façade, intricate stained-glass windows, and soaring spires. Instead, I was capturing the haze of interference created by foliage, twigs, and branches in the foreground, along with the soft, warm hues of the Minster’s glowing limestone shining through.