Tidy Little Mess

“Painting is a verb”. That was the way Steve Brown described his approach to creating on  canvas. He conveyed that with contradiction in his artwork, as if they were “a piece of life,  pausing for a moment, and after that, the world would start up again”. 

Sussex County Community College’s C-Gallery welcomed Steve Brown as its first artist to  exhibit this spring semester of 2025. The C-Gallery had its art opening for Steve on  Thursday, January 30. The exhibition titled; “Tidy Little Mess” was a success! Students,  faculty, friends and family came together to witness Steve’s artistic vision on paper and  canvas.  

Steve used a combination of the paintbrush and airbrush to get the effect he wanted in his  work. He liked to focus first on composition, cropping the work to show the energy of the  subject. He then focused on texture, trying to attain a tactile feel for the surfaces of the  different forms. He had an uncanny approach to realism in reference to form, and his use of  line was beyond measure. 

The C-Gallery is open to the public, and all are welcome to see this wonderful compilation  of over 30 pieces on display of Steve Brown’s art. The exhibition will be display in the  gallery from January 30 to February 27. Currently, three selected pieces have been sold! 

If you have any questions on the exhibition, please contact Jimmy Jeffreys, Gallery  Coordinator at jjeffreys@sussex.edu. 

Steve Brown with his children Sarah and Michael (Photographed by J. Jeffreys)