Randy Brown is a Denver, Colorado based artist, arts activist, and educator who has worked and exhibited in the Denver and national arts community for more than twenty-five years. Through his work as an artist, Randy has consistently created photographic based projects that challenge not only himself, but also his viewers in the community. As he provides opportunities to explore works that address conceptual ideas about being human, a focused visual language emerges that facilitates the discussion about where we overlap rather diverge. This is the ongoing and evolving river on which he travels.
As a seven year member of the Fine Arts faculty (Adjunct, Department of Photography) at the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design(RMCAD) in Denver, Colorado, Randy teaches photography to students focused on degrees in Fine Arts. His teaching philosophy includes a process of engagement, the facilitation of student’s commitment and work ethic, the interpretation and completion of conceptual projects, establishing an understanding of the works of important artists who use photography as their medium, and research into the writings and philosophies of important educators. On a practical level, this is manifested through a series of lecture/group discussion classes, the teaching of core principles of art making, and importantly, one-on-one conversations with students that provides an opportunity to fully understand the students needs and clearly map out a path in which they will achieve their goals.
Currently teaching a diverse yet focused course load that includes Basic Photography and Advanced Photography. Both of these classes are traditional darkroom based and include the use of 35mm SLR, Holga, Pinhole, Medium Format, 4X5, 8X10, and experimental hand made cameras. Through an understanding of the use of these cameras and an advanced knowledge of darkroom techniques including; printing on an advanced level, toning, hand coloring, and experimental processes, students are equipped with the diverse tools of the analog medium. Additionally regularly teaching a class in the digital medium titled, Contemporary Digital Portraiture, this class exposes junior and senior level students to the highly conceptual and interpretative issues in current portrait styles. Using advanced knowledge of Photoshop, digital printing, and presenting artists who are important in fine art focused portraiture, Randy’s students are creating works that, on a core level, allow them to express their perspective about being human. A new class, entitled Investigations, exposes students to the processes and artists who are clearly moving the boundaries of conceptual photographic based work.
In addition to his academic and exhibition work, Randy has operated a successful photographic based business in which he completes assignments for select companies and individuals. The visual and organizational skills required to succinctly and clearly identify and communicate his clients needs are the foundations of his business philosophy. Shooting on location and in the studio, Randy has developed strong lighting skills that are necessary in his practice.
In the fall of 2008, Randy had the honor of working with Christina Kreps, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Denver, on a project based in Indonesia. This basis of this project was a documentation of new ideas in Cultural Museology and included extensive travel in Java, Sumatra, Nias, Borneo, and Malaysia. During the course of this project, Randy began a personal documentary project along the Kapuas River, an Amazon class waterway, in central Borneo that required extensive river travel to villages along its banks.
In the arts community he currently serves as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Invisible Museum, a Denver based 501 c 3. Recently named Executive Editor of Eye-Level Magazine, a developing project of the Invisible Museum, he will be responsible for all aspects of the magazines conceptualization and publication. Included are story assignments, writing, copy editing, and closely working with the magazines graphic design firm. Previously, Randy served as Co-Editor, writer and production manager of Eye-Level for six issues from Sept. 2004 to January of 2006.
In addition to his work with Eye-Level and The Invisible Museum, he served as president of the Colorado Artist Coalition from 2001-2003. The CAC was a not-for-profit arts organization that had as its mission increasing the social, economic, and community awareness of artists and the value they contribute to our society. Offering professional development programs for artists, affordable studio space, and interaction with the community through member led creativity workshops and seminars, the CAC facilitates partnerships that convey the importance of art in our lives.
In closing, it is clear that Randy is highly focused and committed to the continuation of his art making, being an effective teacher to his students, and all-the-while while being actively engaged within the larger arts community through his exhibition and volunteer work.
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE:
Board of Directors, Invisible Museum, 2001-Present
Co-Chair, Board of Directors, Invisible Museum 2010
Commercial photographer, 1984 to Present
Executive Editor, Eye-Level Magazine (Present)
Board of Directors, Colorado Photographic Arts Center (2007-2008)
President, Board of Directors, Colorado Artist Coalition (2001-2003)
PUBLISHING:
Editor, Writer, Production Manager, Eye-Level Magazine (2004-2006)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Adjunct Faculty, Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (2005-Present)
Adjunct Faculty, Community College of Denver (2003)
Photographic Workshop Leader, Working With Artists (2002-Present)
Workshop Leader, ArtStreet 2002
GRANTS AND AWARDS:
• Recipient, University of Denver, Indonesian Documentary Project Honorarium, 2008
• Recipient, Invisible Museum, Curators Stipend, 2007
*Recipient, Museum of Outdoor Arts Exhibit Stipend, 2005
*Recipient, MacArthur Foundation grant for travel and materials while
in residence at The MacDowell Colony. Funds distributed by MacDowell, 2000
*Recipient, Fellowship, The MacDowell Colony for the Arts, Peterborough, NH.
Awarded five-week residency to advance in-progress photographic work.
Nov. and Dec., 1999, January, 2000.
*Recipient, Villa Montalvo Center for the Arts, Saratoga, CA.
Awarded six-week residency to advance ongoing photographic work.
Feb. & March, 1996.
*Recipient, Mayors Office of Workforce Development, ArtStreet Leadership Grant, 2002
SELECTED COLLECTIONS:
Denver Art Museum, MONY, IXL Corporation, Ernst & Young, TIAA-CREF, Delta Dental of Colorado, MacData Corp., Sue Cannon, Kathy Guisie, Peter Durst, Senn Lewis Vischiano, Invesco Funds, Vectra Bank, 360 Network, Rebound Corporation, Dr. Charles Hamlin, Hand Surgery Associates
EDUCATION:
BBA, Texas Tech University, 1976
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Rocky Mountain News 1994, 1999, 2000, 2001,2002, 2003, 2004,2005, 2006, 2007
Denver Post 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 , 2001,2002,2004, 2005, 2006
Westword 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004,2005, 2006, 2007
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2011 Botanica, Republic Plaza, Denver, CO
2010 Under The Influence, Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design
2009 Corporate Collections Denver, Co
New Work The Pattern Shop Gallery Denver, CO
2008 In And Out Of Focus, Denver, Co
Faculty Exhibit, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Denver, CO
2007 I Am A Man Ironton Gallery, Denver, CO
The Tribe 910 Arts, Denver, CO
2006 Corporate Collections, Denver, Co
The Nitto Files 910 Arts, Denver, CO
2005 Luminosity, Museum of Outdoor Arts, Denver, CO
Minimalism, Flash Gallery, Denver, CO
Faculty Exhibit, Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design, Denver, CO
2004 Entrance/En-Trance William Havu Gallery, Denver, CO
The Figure Explored Business of Art Center, Manitou Springs, CO
2003 Corporate Collections Republic Plaza, Denver, CO
Members Select Spark Gallery, Denver, CO
Love For Sale Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver
Trances Funky Buddha, Denver, CO
2002 Artists of Choice Art Students League of Denver
2001 New American Talent 16, Jones Center for Contemporary Art, Austin,TX
Figuration, Carson Masuoka Gallery, Denver, CO
National Prize Show, Cambridge Art Center, Boston, MA
New American Talent 16, Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington, Texas
Dream Mill, Lakewood Cultural Center, Lakewood, CO
Past/Present, Carson Masuoka Gallery, Denver, CO
2000 Searching for Balance, DeLeon White Gallery, Denver, Co
THE NO ZONE, Market Street Gallery at Guiry's, Denver
1999 Black & White, Perspectives in Contrast, Republic Plaza, Denver, CO
Intro II, Carol Keller Gallery, Denver
AAA Open Studios, Alternative Arts Alliance, Denver
1998 The Bob Newart Show, Ron Judish Gallery, Denver
Co=Excellence 1998
Emmanuel Gallery, Denver
Eleanor Biss Center for the Arts, Steamboat Springs, Co
University of Southern Colorado, Pueblo, Co
Intro I, Carol Keller Gallery, Denver
Spark Open, Spark Gallery, Denver
1997 Colorado Contempo, Republic Plaza, Denver
Photo Colorado, Core New Art Space, Denver
1996 Colorado Open, Foothills Art Center, Golden, Co
1995Personal Visions, Grant Gallery, Denver
1994 Native Peoples, Our ways Shall Continue, Denver Art Museum
Thrive, Works of Innovation in Architecture, Emmanuel Gallery, Denver, CO
Architectural Landscapes, Harvard School of Design, Cambridge, MA