HELLO FROM SCENIC
WISH YOU WERE HERE

ABOUT

Ian Brownlee is a storyteller whose figurative paintings autobiographically explore significant life events, with enough ambiguity and allegory to become universal tales. The paintings utilize multiple styles and genres, including American folk and Buddhist art.

Ian received his MFA from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, in 2025, and his BFA from the Atlanta College of Art, Atlanta, GA, in 1999. He has exhibited his work in shows across the country, including New York, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Ian also recently returned from an artist residency in Rajasthan, India. Ian lives and works in Seattle, WA.

See his latest work on Instagram.

QUOTE

"Ian Brownlee employs landscape as a device to capitalize on our basic impulse to weave images into narrative. In his paintings, the use of perspective to create an unexpectedly dramatic spatial illusion permits us entry into what appears to be an independently existent and self-sufficient "world" located neither in the past or the present, but always slightly out of reach and continually open to interpretation."

- Trevor Richardson, Director, Herter Art Gallery, University of Massachussetts, Amherst. Quoted in New American Paintings

RESUMÉ

Exhibitions

  • “Self.Reflexive” AMcE Creative Arts, Seattle, WA, 2026
  • “Raga” Hinge Arts Space, Andore, Rajasthan, India, 2026
  • “Form Over Function” Seattle Art Source, Seattle, WA, 2025
  • “MFA Show” Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, WA, 2025
  • “A Regular Profusion of Certain Unidentified Roses” Jacob Lawrence Gallery, Seattle, WA, 2024
  • “Faculty Show” Arrowmont School Of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN, 2022, 2021, 2018
  • "Forged Replica" Spiers Gallery, Brevard College, Brevard, NC, 2022
  • "All Good Things Under the Sun” 311 Gallery, Raleigh, NC, 2022
  • "Go Figure" Blue Spiral One, Asheville, NC, 2019
  • "New Times Three" Blue Spiral One, Asheville, NC, 2017
  • "National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper", Brand Library and Art Center, Glendale, CA, 2015, curated by Kent Twitchell
  • "Monster Drawing Rally" Southern Exposure, San Francisco, CA, 2015
  • “Play” Asheville Art Museum, Asheville, NC, 2013, curated by Cole Hendrix
  • "Waking Up With Van Gogh" Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, NC, 2012.
  • “Local Histories” 523 East Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC. 2011. Curated by Elin O'Hara Slavick and Carol Magee
  • "Curly Q" Jack The Pelican Presents Gallery, New York, NY, 2009
  • "18th National Juried Show" Art Center of Northern New Jersey, New Milford, NJ, 2009. Juror: Clare Bell, Guggenheim Museum, NYC.
  • "On The Verge" juried show, Front Gallery, Asheville, NC, 2009
  • "The Bold and the Beautiful" Hendersonville Arts Council, NC, 2008
  • "Seasons" Gallery Minerva, Asheville, NC, 2006
  • "Juried Show" Bascom Louise Gallery, Highlands, NC, 2005
  • "Art as if the Earth Mattered" Front Gallery, Asheville, NC, 2005

Publications

  • Studio Visit Magazine 2010. Juror: Steven Zevitas
  • On The Verge, WNC magazine, 2009. Juror: Rob Pulleyn, Fibrearts Magazine and Asheville Art Museum.
  • New American Paintings, #64, 2006. Juror: Trevor Richardson, Director, Herter Art Gallery, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Murals

  • You Build Our Community, CMI project, Morganton, NC, 2023
  • Common Desk, Wilmington, NC, 2021
  • Thank You, Health Care Workers, Asheville, NC, 2020
  • Penguin Parking, Mission Cancer Center, Asheville, NC 2018
  • Wildbout, King Commons, Johnson City, TN, 2017
  • Mission Hospital Pediatric ICU, Asheville, NC, 2016
  • Modern Recess, Children's Fitness Center, San Ramon, CA, 2014
  • Mission Hospital Reuters' Children's Clinic, Asheville, NC, 2012
  • Mermaid Inn, Menlo Park, CA, 2011
  • Asheville Pediatrics, NC, 2007
  • Mission Hospital Reuters' Children's Clinic, 2006-7
  • Rosetta's Kitchen (restaurant), Asheville, NC, 2005
  • Colonel Wright Elementary School, The Dalles, OR, 2001

Education

  • MFA, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 2025
  • BFA, Atlanta College of Art, Atlanta GA 1999
  • Attended California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA 1998

Teaching

  • John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, NC 2025, 2023
  • University of Washington, Seattle, WA 2024
  • Penland School of Craft, Penland, NC 2024
  • Arrowmont School of Art and Craft, Gatlinburg, TN, 2022, 2021, 2018

Residencies

  • Jentel, Banner, WY 2025
  • Farm Studio, Rajasthan, India, 2026