Peter Brown

Peter Brown

1943 - 2022

Peter William Ellwood Brown was born on the 28th of March 1943 in Brisbane but he grew up and lived in Melbourne. He graduated from Melbourne University in Dentistry in 1969 and then travelled to Europe in 1971-1972 to study Italian and German. Back in Australia he worked for a short period in Dandenong as a dentist. From there, he applied to work in the Malaysian jungle but was refused access to Malaysia, as he was not a citizen of that country. In 1974-1975 he worked as a flying dentist in the North Queensland outback, covering Cape York, helping the local and Aboriginal communities. He then returned to Melbourne University to complete a degree in Fine Art, between 1976 and 1980 and enrolled in some singing and language courses. He then practised as a dentist in North Fitzroy, 131 St. Georges Road, in a building that has been a dental surgery for nearly 100 years. In 1990 and 2000 he attended etching courses at the Australian Print Workshop. He retired from dentistry in 2009 to pursue his artistic interests. He was first asked to exhibit his work in 2010 and has participated in group exhibitions ever since. In 2021 Bridget McDonnell organised his first solo photography exhibition at her gallery.

Peter Brown was a dentist incidentally. From an early age his passion was with the arts, singing in the school choir and soon drawing, taking photos and writing poems. His nature has always been one of an adventurer, explorer, and sentimental bloke who sees the world through the eyes of an artist. His poetry and generous soul surface in his images, captured on paper forever. Peter, loved socialising with his many friends but at the same time couldn’t live without the solitude and wilderness of the mountains. Achille Maiotti, The Etchings of Peter W. E. Brown, 2022

"The visual image has always demanded my attention, regardless of whether its subject is a landscape, clouds, a building, a face, a social scene, a pattern, a shadow, even a twig or a wet leaf. If because of its composition, form or the way the light enhances the subject, it gives out some urgent message that I cannot disregard, I must instinctively reach for my camera."  Incidental Images, photographs 1982-2004 by Peter Brown, 2009.

Illustrated: Exhibition Buildings, Etching

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