BRIAN CAMERON PORTFOLIO: ABOUT

A native Oregonian, Brian Cameron was born in Seaside in 1952. He has lived his entire life on the north Oregon coast as did two generations before him. This long exposure to the peculiarities of the area has resulted in a bond with the culture and traditions of the North West. Rugged individualism, hard work and a sense of oneness with, and appreciation of nature are all aspects of this culture. These are qualities well suited to an artist.
Primarily self taught, he leaned, as a young man, the art of furniture making and the characteristics and qualities of wood along with the methods and tools used in shaping it. The study of traditional Japanese techniques in architecture, woodworking and block printing led to an appreciation of the power of simplicity in line and space. Incorporating these ideas into furniture design, he became well known both for impeccable craftsmanship and for creating tables which are recognized, in essence, as abstract sculptures designed for utilitarian use.

TABLE FROM FLOATING TEAK SERIES

FISHERMAN'S WIFE

As a career in furniture making developed he began incorporating glass and black concrete into his wood furniture, and although his tables became more and more free in their design, in time, the constraints of adapting each inspired sculpture to a functional purpose became a burden. To work in other mediums where free expression is unhindered, drew him to study the master sculptors like Rodin, Brancusi, Moore and Baskin.
Soon he began to make figurative sculptures in both wood and concrete, and he began creating 3 dimensional hanging constructions. Carving NW Coast Native American ceremonial masks fulfilled a desire to explore his Cherokee heritage. All of this became a new release of artistic energy and opened the door to creating artworks with a clear subject matter. Traditional Japanese block printing was another step in that direction. Focusing on nature for inspiration, the crow and raven became a dominant theme in much of his work as the copious use of black continued to be a signature aspect of his work.

BOLD RAVEN

At this point the desire for experimenting with color was developing to some degree. The soft, translucent hues found in traditional woodcuts was a challenge to emulate, but feeling constrained again by the limits of block printing techniques the freedom of applying colors in broad strokes with varying textures on a larger scale was calling to him.

HOMAGE TO ROTHKO

Now he began painting and experimenting in different styles as he studied Mark Rothko, and Portland legend Michael Russo and then on to Monet and the old impressionists, producing large paintings layering acrylic on masonite or canvas with knives, brushes and even sticks to explore the nature of light and color in both abstract and figurative work.

HOMAGE TO RUSSO 1

Drawing inspiration from the raw elemental beauty in nature, Brian attempts to express a serene harmony in much of his work. In his abstract paintings, he strives to capture just the essence of the subject, inviting the viewers to use their imagination, thereby participating in a creative exchange. In his sculptures, which are often human forms, he begins with line on paper. Then, with mallet and chisel in hand, he becomes totally absorbed in the process of bringing a living character out of the block of wood. He attempts to imbue the subject with some aspect of human emotion, animating the inanimate.

UNFINISHED MEADOW

“Inspiration.., that perfect, intuitive moment, when time stops when logic and fear are tuned out, and pure, uninhibited creativity is flowing effortlessly onto paper, is elusive, but when it occurs, the piece of work is truly authentic and there is a completeness and value to it that only some will perceive but is always known by the artist "

Brian Cameron’s work was originally available exclusively in the Cameron Gallery, which he and his wife Leslie owned and operated in Gearhart, from 1992 to 1996, and by commission through interior designers. From 1996 through 2002 his work was regularly shown at the Blue Pear in Portland, at the Triad Gallery in Newport and at the Beppu Gallery in Pacific City, Or. He has participated in many juried and invitational shows at the Cannon Beach Arts Association Gallery in Cannon Beach, Or., and has been represented continuously at the Riversea Gallery in Astoria ,Or. since 1998. In 2013 he was juried into the Portland Art Museum rental sales Gallery for permanent representation. In 2018, Warner Bros. contracted with Brian for the use of seven of his paintings in their new television series "The Perfectioist".
Brian works from his studio beside his oceanfront home on the beach just north of Gearhart, Oregon where he lives with his wife Leslie.

Brian Cameron Bio/Resume

A native Oregonian, Brian Cameron was born in Seaside in 1952. He has lived his entire life on the north Oregon coast as did two generations before him. Though his father was a small business owner, his mother, a music teacher, provided a home in which artistic expression was a cornerstone. He was encouraged to study and to find outlets for his musical and artistic talents. After heading to college in 1972 with an art scholarship, this 3^rd generation ‘Coastie’ embarked on an early career as a maker of fine furniture, incorporating the elements of clean Japanese design and flawless joinery. He later shifted to figurative sculpture in wood and even concrete, before delving into printmaking and ultimately painting.

Early paintings were primarily abstract as were his masterpiece furniture designs. He made a gradual turn toward representational paintings end enjoyed painting near photo-realistic works for a time, but still felt compelled to return to a more abstract approach.

Brian works in both oils and acrylics, preferring to shy away from too much detail by employing the palette knife much more than the brush. This may be a throwback to sculpting in some regards as the knife allows a more painterly 'building' of the piece. As one who is heavily influenced by nature, he is attempting to express a serene harmony in much of his work. Although many of his paintings are still representational, he often slides into near abstraction, striving to capture just the essence of the subject, inviting the viewers to use their imagination, thereby participating in a creative exchange.

Cameron says of the creative process “When you get going, the logical side cuts out and there is a great meditation there. That perfect, intuitive moment, when time stops, when logic and fear are tuned out, and pure, uninhibited creativity is flowing effortlessly onto canvas, is elusive, but when it occurs, the piece of work is truly authentic and there is a completeness and value to it that only some will perceive but is always known by the artist.” Brian works from his oceanfront studio in Gearhart Or. where he lives with his wife Leslie.

Past representation

1992 - 1996 Cameron Gallery, Gearhart, Or.

1996 - 2002 The Blue Pear , Portland, Or.

1999 – 2002 Triad Gallery , Newport, Or.

1999 - 2001 The Beppu Gallery , Pacific City, Or.

2000 - 2014 Cannon Beach Arts Assoc. Gallery

2010 - 2011 Modern Villa Gallery , Cannon Beach ,Or.

2013 - 2014 Primary Elements Gallery, Cannon Beach Or.

Current representation

1998 – present Riversea Gallery, Astoria, Or.

2013- present Portland Art Museum Rental Sales Gallery, Portland Or.

2015 - present White Bird Gallery, Cannon Beach ,Or

Selected exhibits

Cannon Beach Arts Assoc.Gallery 2006 Vessels juried exhibit

2009 For The Birds invitational exhibit

2011 Annual Miniatures Show juried exhibition

2012 Fruits Of Our Labor invitational exhibit

2013 Boats juried exhibit

2013 Still Life invitational exhibit

2013 Miniatures Show Juried exhibit

Triad Gallery 2002 Wood and Wool invitational exhibit

White Bird Gallery 2015 45th Anniversary invitational

Riversea Gallery 2001 Wood Altered invitational exhibit

2002 Nature of Wood solo exhibit

2005 River Readings invitational exhibit

2005 Sacred Coast solo exhibit

2007 Sky Field Water duo exhibit / Brandon Hoffman

2008 Mood light Landscape duo exhibit/ Kirk Jonasson

2008 Images Of Memory juried exhibit

2009 Big Red: Revisited juried exhibition

2009 Up Close and Far Away solo exhibit

2012 Postcards From The Edge invitational exhibit

                        2012   Art Concerto invitational exhibit

                          2013   Studio Tour Demonstration invitational

                          2013   Objects Of Desire invitational

                          2014    Tails To Tell invitational

                           2015    Chasing Sunlight invitational
             2016    50 years to Nowhere invitational

                                   2016   Stories From The Edge invitational

             2018 Chasing The Muse solo show

                      Portland Art Museum Gallery        2013 June New Artists Show Juried exhibit

Portland                                                                   2013 Fall Member Show Juried invitational

exhibit                                                                       2014 Spring Member Show    Juried invitational

    2014 Fall Member Show         Juried invitational

2                                                                            2015 Spring Member Show     Juried invitational

                                                                              2015 Fall Member Show         Juried invitational

                              2016 Spring Member Show     Juried Invitatinal

                                                                                2016 Fall Member Show         Juried Invitational

                                                                            2017 Spring Member Show     Juried Invitational

2017 Fall Member Show         Juried Invitational

2018 Spring Member Show    Juried Invitational

                                                                                2018 Fall Member Show         Juried Invitational

   Howard/Mandville Gallery            2013 Small Works Show invitational exhibit
   Kirkland Wa.

Seaside Public Library 2010 Brian Cameron Retrospective solo exhibit
Seaside Or.

COLLECTIONS

Kaiser Westside Medical Center, Portland Or. permanent collection

Holliday Park Plaza Portland Or. permanent collection

Goodman Corp. Westhills Villiage Portland Or. permanent collection

Studio Art Direct 'The Private Collection'

Leena Riker collection

Tinker Hatfield collection

David Ogden Stiers collection

Michael Foster collection

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