Stephen Brayfield: Recent Work
April 5-27, 2024
Stephen Brayfield: Recent Work
Opening reception: Friday, April 5, 5:00-9:00 PM
Gallery hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Additional gallery hours from 5:00-7:00 PM for Gallery 1010 openings on Thu Apr 11, Thu Apr 18, and Fri Apr 26.
Stephen Brayfield has lived and worked in Knoxville since 2008 but is originally from Chicago where he studied drawing/printmaking, scientific illustration, and anatomical rendering at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He also studied illustration and fine art at the American Academy of Art, The School of Representational Art, and the Palette and Chisel in Chicago. He received a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in studio art from Northeastern Illinois University where he discovered watercolor and has since painted in this medium.
While I am influenced by surrealism, I am more a representational realist with an Americana element that I refer to as “southern gothic”. I paint with transparent watercolors on 300 lb. Arches paper. Gradually layering light to dark, I avoid the use of opaque white or black paint. The darker tones you see are made by mixing less diluted complimentary colors and the white areas are simply the white of the paper carefully painted around or masked off. Recently I have started mounting some of my work on cradled panels and sealing them with cold wax medium, giving them an appearance similar to egg tempera. These watercolors can be hung without a frame, mat and glass.
Contact the artist at stephen.brayfield@gmail.com to discuss requests for a pet or human portrait commission. https://stephenbrayfield.com
EDUCATION
Northeastern Illinois University 1994
BA cum laude, Studio Art. Minor in Earth Science.
Full Scholarship recipient. Art club vice president. Work study as Gallery manager
Columbia College 1991
Concentration in advertising art and creative writing
American Academy of Art 1986-1989
Concentration in fine art and illustration
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago 1981-1982
Concentration in drawing, printmaking and scientific illustration Internship with Field Museum of Natural History Exhibits department.
EXHIBITIONS
2023 Arts in the Airport. McGee Tyson Airport. Knoxville, TN
2023 No Bigger than a Breadbox Best in Show The Emporium Center Knoxville, TN
2023 46th Annual Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition. Panama City Center for the Arts Panama City, FL
2022 45th Annual Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition. ArtCenter Manatee Bradenton, FL
2022 Pawtraits and Mewsings. The Emporium Center Knoxville, TN
2021 No Bigger than a Breadbox Jurors Citation The Emporium Center Knoxville, TN
2020 Artsclamation! Knoxville, TN
2020 Recent Watercolors. The Emporium Center Knoxville, TN
2018 Artsclamation! Knoxville, TN
2018 Southern Gothic with poems by Tonya Wade. The Emporium Center Knoxville, TN 2017 Artsclamation! Knoxville, TN
2016 39th Annual Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition. Columbia TN
2015 Dogwood Arts Juried Exhibition. Knoxville, TN
2014 Then And Now Exhibition Knoxville Art and Culture Alliance.
2013 36th Annual Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition. Quincy, FL
2012 35th Annual Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition. Sautee Nacoochee, GA 2011 Group exhibition on The Balcony at the Emporium Center, Knoxville TN
2011 Knoxville Art & Culture Alliance Annual Members Show
2011 Dogwood Arts Juried Exhibition. Bennett Gallery, Knoxville, TN
2011 Regional Fine Art Exhibition Knoxville, TN
2010 Paintings on display at the City Of Knoxville Mayors Office
2010 New To Knoxville Exhibition, Portfolio award winner Knoxville, TN
2007 North Shore Art League Inchworks Exhibit, Winnetka, IL
2007 North Shore Art League 83rd Annual Members Art Show, Winnetka, IL
2004 Watercolor 2004, Norris Gallery, Saint Charles, IL
2000 Reunited: Art Alumni Invitational, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL
1999 Watercolor 1999, Norris Gallery, Saint Charles, IL
1997 Midwest Watercolor Society 21st Annual Juried Competition, Green Bay, WI 1996 Thresholds 2nd juried art competition, first place, Chicago, IL
1996 Midwest Watercolor Society 20th Annual Juried Competition
1996 Watercolor 1996, Norris Gallery, Saint Charles, IL
1995 13th Annual Chicago land Juried Competition
1995 The Zipping Room, Bogies Brew coffeehouse, Skokie, IL
1994 10,000 Plus Alumni Exhibition, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago 1994 Men Define the Feminine, Woman-made Gallery, Chicago, IL