“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. 

“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.

“A Quiet Pool, Upper Wharfedale,” 2025

James Brown

“A Quiet Pool, Upper Wharfedale,” 2025

Oil on wood panel

Size: 50 x 50 cm

This romantic study of a “dub”—a local term in North Yorkshire (Northern England) for a deep pool or waterhole—captures a quiet moment along the winding road between Buckden and Skipton, the historic “Gateway to the Dales.”

As a visitor from the tropical north of Australia, the colours of the area were very different from home. Here, the palette leans towards muted greys and pinks, punctuated with brilliant patches of the distinctive Yorkshire green.

My fond memory of the landscape is encapsulated by a small, yet meaningful detail in the historic church of St Michael and All Angels at Hubberholme. There, several wooden pews bear tiny, hand-carved mice—the signature of the legendary craftsman Robert "Mouseman" Thompson. These playful, hidden touches in an unassuming local church set the tone for my perception of the Dales as a relaxed and friendly place. 

“Orakoy Mosque, Turkiye,” 2025

James Brown

“Orakoy Mosque, Turkiye,” 2025

Pastel and oil on wood panel

Size: 35.5 x 27.8 cm

Based on a photo from a recent trip, this painting began as a pastel drawing but was completed in oil to enhance the richness of the colours.

“Miena, Tasmania”, 2025

James Brown

“Miena, Tasmania,” 2025

Oil on wood panel

Size: 50 x 39.8 cm

Inspired by a 2022 photograph of scrubland on the outskirts of Miena, Tasmania, near the southern end of Great Lake in the Central Highlands, I created this painting. The landscape's inherent beauty caught my attention, particularly the interplay of muted grey tones punctuated by vibrant tufts of green grass and exposed ochre earth.  The slender gum trees, their bark shedding and branches reaching elegantly skyward, also held a strong visual appeal.  These spindly forms, with their sinuous lines, resonated with the organic flow and rhythm I sought to capture.