The late, great western writer Elmer Kelton's "The Time it Never Rained" tells the story of rancher Charlie Flagg's battle with a severe 1950s drought in fictional Rio Seco, Texas. Nearly 30 years ago I faced the beginning of my own personal battle with a severe drought. With apologies to Mr. Kelton, for me it was the time I never painted. That chapter in my life arrived in the form of unbearable grief after the loss of my youngest daughter Shelli in 1990. Obviously, the last thing I cared about during those first few months was painting, but even years later, I cared nothing about art. Much less watching sports, talking politics or even laughing. It all seemed so unimportant. My faith in God gave me assurance that I would one day see her again, but I missed her beyond words.
Some seven years later, time had slowly worked to heal my heart in that way that it does. And though you never truly get over losing a child, my sorrow was showing signs of breaking. In perhaps the most fitting way possible I began to come out of my drought by painting a watercolor of Shelli flying a kite. It was from a photo while vacationing on Hilton Head Island just a few months before she died. It's a bitter-sweet image and priceless to me in so many ways. Running on the wide beaches of South Carolina, full of life and joy.
These days, motivation to paint, now exclusively with oils, is not difficult for me. And I'm grateful for that. As life's joys and sorrows have ultimately molded me into who I am, one could surmise that applying paint to canvas reflects events in our lives, both good and bad, with each brush stroke. And perhaps this has something to do with how some paintings move us in ways we can't explain. ~ Kent Brewer
To learn more about me, please view this collection of blog posts.
AWARDS AND HONORS
2024 - Best Plein Air Oil - Plein Air Salon (September Plein Air Magazine)
2024 - 2nd Place - BoldBrush March
2024 - Hon. Mention - Paint Waxahachie
2023 - 3rd Place - En Plein Air Texas
2022 - Judges Choice - En Plein Air Texas
2022 - Best Artist from TX - En Plein Air TX
2022 - Best in Show - Paint Waxahachie
2022 - 1st Place - DPW Contest - April
2021 - Juried participant En Plein Air TX
2021 - 1st Place - Paint Waxahachie
2021 - Hon. Mention BoldBrush - January
2019 - Hon. Mention - Paint Waxahachie
2018 - Best in Show - Paint Waxahachie
2017 - 2nd Place ECAA Fall Members
2017 - 3rd Place - Paint Waxahachie
2017 - Hon. Mention - Plein Air SW Salon
2016 - Best of Show - Paint Waxahachie
2016 - Artists' Choice - Paint Waxahachie
2015 – Artists' Choice - Paint Waxahachie
2015 - 3rd Place - Paint Waxahachie
2014 – Artists' Choice – Paint Waxahachie
2014 - Hon. Mention - Paint Waxahachie
2014 – Award of Merit – Plein Air SW Salon
2013 – Hon. Mention - Outdoor Painters Soc.
2013 – People’s Choice – Dallas Heritage Village Plein Air
2013 – Best of Show – Paint Waxahachie
2012 – 1st Place – Paint Waxahachie
2011 – Best of Show – Paint Waxahachie
2010 – Best of Show – ECAA Members
Associations
Outdoor Painters Society