User:Kjbrand/Tom Brand

Background and biography
Artist Tom Brand has been a part of the art community since 1980. He has contributed substantially to the exhibit scene. He retired in 1990 to devote himself entirely to his painting and began turning out a rapid succession of finished pieces. His work reflected an aesthetic depth distinct from other contemporary painting. In 1993, Brand made a major debut with a one-person exhibition at the Northern Indiana Arts Association in Munster, Indiana with a show of 57 paintings that filled the gallery. Those who saw the show were impressed to discover so many quality works together in one place. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Brand came to Chicago in the late 40's to study art and painting at the School of the Art Institute. Unimpressed by the kind of teaching that was offered in the classroom, he spent his free time wandering in the galleries soaking up art history directly from the masterworks in the collections. The understanding he gained would profoundly effect the development of his personal aesthetic. Sometimes, he scrutinized the paintings so closely that he set-off the alarm system alerting the guards! In the years following, he married and provided for his family by working as a journeyman printer, a trade he had first learned in his father's business in Indianapolis. As president of his own printing company, he produced posters and comic books for the "Hairy Who" and graphic art and catalogues for other Chicago artists. He authored a monograph with practical application for artists on Offset Printing for the Production of Art Prints. All during this time, he kept up his interest in art. He curated exhibits for the Beacon Street Hull House Art Center in Chicago and showed in community exhibits. Music has been an important influence and inspiration for many of his compositions. Early on, Brand acquired a love and appreciation for classical music by becoming a regular concertgoer and subscriber to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. What other influences might have contributed to the complexity of his work? Mechanically minded, he owned and raced automobiles as a competitor for five years and was forced to retire when his prized Cooper Formula One Grand Prix was destroyed in a garage fire. In 1985, he became the owner of a wooden boat, taught himself to sail and has been an avid sailor ever since. Brand moved to Northern Indiana in 1996. He became very active in what is now known as the Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City, Indiana. He was Secretary to the Board and also the Chairman of the Collections Committee. Brand exhibits often and wins his share of awards.

Technique
The surface glow and luster of his paintings is achieved through a use of underpainting and glazes, a system of studio technique developed in the renaissance that is rarely found in modern abstract work. That combined with his superb sense of form, color and composition that sets his work apart and brings the viewer back again and again. This is work that excites the imagination and promises to endure.

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