Christopher Brown
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When did you start (photographing, painting, drawing )?
- I've been exploring many types of art since I was a young child - drawing, writing, painting, music, video, film, and photography. My interest in photography began about 2010 and I have been serious about it since 2015 or so.
- I've always been drawn to the visual arts and I have a BA in Film. One of my favorite elements of cinema was the cinematography but I have come to realize that this passion is better suited to still photography. I like the portability of it, the fact that it's relatively quick, and that I can do it alone. I love to travel and explore and I'm always snapping shots of what I see.
- My biggest challenge has been deciding how to promote and share my work. Though I do have a distinct style and approach, I have taken a wide range of pictures, from animals, to landscapes, to surreal experimentations. Over the years, I've amassed a huge volume of shots that I'm proud of. So, the challenge is to figure out what to share and how best to organize it.
- I am most rewarded when someone sees a photo I've taken of a place they've seen many times but never realized the beauty, mystery, and uniqueness of it before. I am gratified to know that my work prompts people to see their world in a new way and to have appreciation for the beauty and wonder of life.
- The 3 pieces on display at CI Works were created at different times and places. Beyond being interesting spaces that I encountered while exploring, there was no common theme. I merely strove to capture something interesting that caught my eye. So, in gathering pieces to fit the theme of this gallery show, I enjoyed the challenge of finding images from disparate times and places which shared the same theme, looking at them with fresh perspective, and creating a new narrative that was not there originally.
- I am a musician and a lover of all types of music. I tend to like songs (of any genre) that are forward thinking, artistic, unique, and mysterious. I like a lot of underground electronic music which to me offers a complete freedom of creativity, with many artists who are truly groundbreaking. I produce music myself in this genre.
- My favorite is Boston's MFA and I've been there many, many times (though I've missed being able to visit during Covid.)
These photos bring to me the feel of water and not just the sight. I find it interesting that the first and third pictures are of rushing water, and the second one skillfully combines rushing, moving water with completely still, tranquil water. I love how that image captures two different and even opposite tactile sensations of water: the energy and power that can level a city in a tsunami, and the utter serenity of water so perfectly and peacefully still that it becomes a mirror. When I view these photos, I am reminded of the role of water in New England's growth and development. Including the quintessential red brick New England buildings in the photos reminds me that rushing water powered essential mills and machinery. It makes me think of Old Sturbridge Village where I watched, fascinated, as the power of the water operated an entire sawmill. These photos bring forth the so many aspects of the precious beauty and value of water.
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