From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joan Brown (February 13, 1938 – October 26, 1990) was an American figurative painter who lived and worked in Northern California. She was a notable member of the "second generation" of the Bay Area Figurative Movement.

She was born in San Francisco and studied at the California School of Fine Art (now San Francisco Art Institute), where her teachers included Elmer Bischoff. She achieved prominence with a style of figurative painting that combined bright color, sometimes cartoonish drawing, and personal symbolism.

Brown was married to Bay Area Figurative sculptor Manuel Neri from 1962 to 1966, though their relationship and artistic collaboration dated back several years prior to this. Their son, Noel Neri, is also an artist.

In the late 1970s, Brown became increasingly interested in spirituality and New Age ideas, eventually becoming an adherent of Sathya Sai Baba. She made a number of trips to his ashram in Puttaparthi, India. In 1990, she died in a construction accident while installing an obelisk at the Sai Baba's Eternal Heritage Museum in Proddatur, India.^[1][2][3]

Brown was also a competitive swimmer.

References

1. ^ "Internationally Known Bay Area Artist Dies in Museum Accident in India", Associated Press, October 28, 1990. (Accessed via LexisNexis Academic, 2008-03-15.)
2. ^ "Joan Brown, Art: Berkeley", University of California: In Memoriam, 1991.
3. ^ Tsujimoto K, Baas J. (1998). The Art of Joan Brown. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-21468-4 (hardbound), ISBN 0520-21469-2 (paperback).

General references

• Strong C, Chadwick W. (1995). Working Together: Joan Brown and Manuel Neri, 1958 – 1964. Belmont, CA: Wiegand Gallery, College of Notre Dame.
• Tsujimoto K, Baas J. (1998). The Art of Joan Brown. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-21468-4 (hardbound), ISBN 0520-21469-2 (paperback).
• Marika Herskovic, Abstract and Figurative Expressionism: Style is Timely Art is Timeless {New York School Press, 2009.) ISBN 0967799422. pp. 56-59

External links

• Transformation: The Art of Joan Brown (virtual exhibition), Oakland Museum, September 1998.
• Joan Brown on Artnet
• "The Self and Its Symbols" by Michael Duncan, Art in America, May 2000.
• Joan Brown at Gallery Paule Anglim, San Francisco.