Artist Statement
My paintings are a combination of fantasy and reality. They can be filed under the category of Magical Realism. Essentially, they depict events in which reality is under the influence of the subconscious, or dream world. Elements from the subconscious intrude upon the everyday (such as wild animals in a domesticated setting), or appear as unusual arrangements of figures and objects within theatrically structured environments.

Generally, there is an air of mystery or expectation in my work. I want to suggest, rather than illustrate, a world where all things are connected and informed by an invisible cosmic presence. Sometimes the suggestion is very subtle, other times it is obvious. In any case, I believe that a sense of mystery is something that can be enjoyed for its own sake, rather than something that needs to be decoded or solved in order to be meaningful.

Bio
Aaron Morgan Brown was born on April 4, 1964 in Wichita, Kansas. He has a wide ranging background in the arts, including painting, music, and theatre. Both of his parents are artists. His wife Ann Piper is a tenured painting professor and artist.

He earned his BFA from the University of Kansas, MFA from Syracuse University, graduating with honors from both institutions. He has studied with many notable teachers with national reputations, including the late realist painter Robert Brawley, pop artist Roger Shimomura, and figurative painter Jerome Witkin. At Syracuse University, he was chosen from among hundreds of applicants in every department to receive a coveted third year fellowship. 

He is the recipient of numerous other honors and awards, including a Pollock-Krasner grant in 2005. In 2003, he was made an honorary alumnus of the Roswell Artist-In-Residence program and his work was added to the collection of the Anderson Museum, after spending the year in Roswell during his wife's residency. His work hangs in many private collections nationwide, and several corporate and university collections.

In 2006, he won a first place prize in The Artist Magazine national competition, Experimental category. He has been featured in many other national publications, including New American Paintings, Gallery and Studio magazine (NYC), NY Arts magazine, and Harper's magazine.