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In the artist’s early years, painting was a fascination. Creating an interpretation of something imbedded in the artist’s’ mind, played out through the years as he unknowingly invented himself. After serving in the military, Brent began to take his talent seriously. He attended art classes, mostly courses taught at “free college” or “open college” forums, outdoor classes, private lessons, with other artists teaching their own techniques, studio practicum courses at local colleges and personal study of pottery-making, watercolor and printmaking methods.

Brent’s artistic direction evolved through the 1960’s and ‘70’s, and beyond. His non-objective, abstract color-fields command attention and mesmerize viewers with high-impact modular color that often appears three-dimensional, full of motion, visual vibration and kinetic energy. The paintings beg for accompaniment of music, perhaps jazz, which has evolved, in a sense, like the artist and his paintings. During Brent’s youth, he frequented the coffee houses of Washington, DC, which were a strong brew of Bohemian and hip flavors where “underground” poetry, jazz, art and intellect were prevalent and beatniks were in season.

Watercolor studies of the Washington Cathedral grounds and buildings honed Brent’s drawing skills and color-control. Later, watercolor studies of meadows, marshes, marinescapes, portraits, wild and domestic animals and African tribesmen hunting together or minding their herds of musk oxen, carried the artist further into his world of creation.

While attending Montgomery College, he began to study Washington Color School artist’s work, abstract art and the newly marketed Modular Color introduced by Liquitex. Art Instructors warned that modulars had no history, but they were scientifically formulated with the Chroma, value, hue and pigment content printed on each tube. It could be worthwhile to try using them. Students and instructors alike rejected the modular colors because of their untraditional color names and their much-too-perfect color intensity. Brent embraced the new color system, which has become a hallmark of his palette today.

View more of Brent Lilly’s paintings at brentart.net

Purchase his high-quality gallery book, a spiral bound edition of Evolution In Color, by sending a check or money order for $12.00 to:

Brent Lilly

Evolution In Color

10750 River Run Drive

Manassas, Virginia 20112-3004

Call 703-298-2994 for studio tours or requests for commissioned work.