William Francis Brennan – Q4 Art Competition

Artist Portfolio Magazine – 2017 Q4 Art Competition

William Francis Brennan – Zossen, Germany

William Francis Brennan was born in 1949 in Massachusetts / USA.
He grew up on the family’s farm and started painting with oil and watercolor at age 10.
From 1970 – 1980 he used to live in Toronto, Canada, made a living as a handyman, as a surveyor and as a painting artist.
His art-studio at a big old warehouse at the High Park District was also used as a showroom for his exhibitions.
1975 – 1986 his artwork (-mostly oil and watercolor paintings) was sold within Canada, to Europe, to Japan and within the USA.
In 1980 he moved back to the USA, to San Francisco in California. At the San Francisco Bay Area he resided for the following 28 years.
Several exhibitions took place at cafés / restaurants, mostly at the Potrero Hill and at the Castro district in San Francisco.
In the 90th he had an art-studio for several years on Bryant Street, at the Mexican influenced Mission district – with public studio walks and exhibitions.
Additionally he worked as a self-employed handyman/painter and restored old furniture.
During the years 2001 – 2008 he extended his creative work:
He built unique garden furniture – out of driftwood, collected at the beaches of the pacific ocean near San Francisco, he designed and built the stage sets of the theatre-pedagogical project ‘Behind closed doors’ and he painted several murals for customers in San Francisco.
Since 2008 he is a permanent resident in Germany and works just as an artist.
From August 2008 to December 2016 he used to live and work in Berlin. His focus was back on painting – at his art-studio, the ‘LadenAtelier Brennan’ in Berlin- Neukölln.
Since January 2017 he lives and works as an artist outside of Berlin, in the state of Brandenburg.
His artwork is a hybrid of expressionism and impressionism; however it is best to classify him as an expressionist. The abstract compositions are developed thru experiment and impulse. Composition can be developed by contrast and or balance of colors. Form and a sense of change and movement in figurative works are key elements in many paintings. Often he overlays two subjects, either in conflict or in harmony. A paintings composition is often the result of an experimental artistic exploration.
His work is colorful; from painting to painting style can change. His art has many different subjects and methods.
Sometimes he prefers not to title his paintings, thereby allowing the viewer the opportunity to play with the own imagination. There is a lot to see, to explore and to find within his paintings. He often likes to suggest – and leave the conclusion up to the viewer. To go further within that process, he can direct the attention of the viewers’ thoughts.
He has limited formal training. He is self-taught and motivated to be creative.
Work can be fun.
He has received various international awards for his artwork.
http://www.william-francis-brennan.com