early works

click on any image to enlarge & scroll in lightbox.
paintings/collage on paper (circa 1989-1992)

Brighton abstract #1 - acrylic on paper by Native American painter Winter Brown

Brighton abstract #2 - abstract expresionist acrylic painting on paper by Native American painter Winter Brown

Chelsea abstract #1 - oil on paper artwork by Native American painter Winter Brown

London shapeshifter 1 - mixed media collage on paper by Native Canadian painter Winter Brown

London shapeshifter 2 - mixed media collage on paper by Native Canadian painter Winter Brown

Crouch End conjurer - mixed media collage on paper by Native Canadian painter Winter Brown

London shapeshifter 3 - mixed media collage on paper by Native Canadian painter Winter Brown

painted book pages (circa 1991-1997)

sign of ecstacy - reworked painted book page by First Nations artist Winter Brown

caged birds were free again - painted book page by First Nations artist Winter Brown

love every blade of grass - reworked painted book page by First Nations artist Winter Brown

looking for charms - reworked painted book page by First Nations artist Winter Brown

fandango - reworked painted book page by First Nations artist Winter Brown

why not begin now - painted book page by Native American painter Winter Brown

crazy quilt - reworked painted book page by First Nations artist Winter Brown

I've included these (mostly little) pieces because they were part of my inspiration for refocusing on painting. The earliest one was done on a scrap of paper while I was staying alone in the tiny attic room of a friend (who was away), high up in the top of one of the majestic old houses in Brighton, UK, during my first days in what would come to be quite some time living (and later studying) in England. I continued making these little abstracts, in sketch books or on various small pieces of paper, later making a few larger ones as well.

At the time, I didn't pay them much mind, although my teachers in art school and artist friends very much liked them. Instead I turned in a more new-media direction. Years later, looking at them, I really liked them too, their spontaneity, joyfulness and even raunchiness, and I missed making them. So I headed back in that direction..

During the time I was a very young artist living in London (UK), I purchased a number of old books specifically because I was drawn to their titles.

I began using these books as a kind of painted journals. I would paint out almost all the words, leaving only a few words, phrases, or sentences. The rest of the primed paper surface I used for drawings, paintings and/or collage. There are 5 books in all.

Over the years I've continued painting in these books, sometimes quite regularly, sometimes more sporadically.

Theses book artworks may seem out of keeping with the rest of my Winter Brown work, but I'm so fond of them that for now I've decided to include them on my site anyway. They're also an example of my early painting and collage work.

I've begun digitizing/reworking some of the pages as individual pieces. These are the images without a visible book seam (though each artwork was originally the span of two open book pages). Each of these reworked pages is available as a limited edition print (click on the hyperlnked artwork titles to see print details).

Due to repeated unsanctioned appropriation of signature elements of my work, in the interest of protecting work in vulnerable stages of development, I now keep my newest pieces on a private page until they, and/or other closely related works, have been seen in public venues and/or by my peers and/or arts professionals in a context where there is a public record of the production and timeline of signature elements and artworks in my practice.

Feel free to contact me for more info about this.

Interested curators, collectors or other arts professionals may also contact me to request access to private work webpage/s at winter@winter-brown.com.

Hiy hiy,
Bebonkwe ᐱᐳᐣ