Brown Dexter (De Bryune)

Year working: 1942 -

Dexter Brown is one of the UK’s principal motoring artists having a career over 40 years. He has two personalities: the Dexter Brown motoring art that ranges from near photographic to complete abstract, and the work of de Bryune with a very strong impressionist influence. Dexter Brown has painted cars from the early days of motoring up to the present time but de Bryune confines himself to the golden period of motoring up to the Second World War. Dexter Brown was always keen on cars and motor racing when he was doing studies whilst at Harrow Art College. One of his early works has recent come on the market which is the front cover design for a Puffin Book completed in 1960. This shows the excellent use of colour and the technique of splitting the cars into shapes with strong lines which is characteristic of his art. In his early period his works were hung on the walls of the Steering Wheel Club in London and this resulted in many sales and commissions for motor racing posters. During the 1970s Dexter Brown took a stronger interest in portrait studies and committing the pop music scene to canvas, with fewer motoring paintings. In the 1980’s Dexter Brown returned to the motoring scene with commissions from many important clients such as major motor manufacturers, (Ferrari, Mercedes Benz, Rolls-Royce and British Leyland), and we see the popularity of the works of de Bryune. At the same time there was increasing demand for the sales of prints of his art through various retailers. The demand for his art has continued to grow on both sides of the Atlantic. The works of de Bruyne being very popular in the USA, whilst Dexter Brown’s Ferrari studies being best sellers in the UK. The first book about Dexter Brown and his work was published in 2001. Dexter Brown uses a variety of media for his work sometimes graduating through several preliminary sketches. These initial drawings can be in pencil sometimes with colour from crayon or gouache. His larger studies are acrylic or oils on board, the large de Bryune type works being oil on canvas. At the present he is devoting most of his time to painting wildlife although he still manages to complete the occasional motoring piece.