Brandon Flye

Brandon’s career arc stiches together a unique and rich set of experiences. Unlike most artists, he does not have a traditional liberal arts background.  His education was focused strongly on the sciences. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. After graduating, he completed an internship in Medical Illustration (IUPUI, Indianapolis, Indiana). He eventually decided to pursue a more creative outlet as a graphic designer. Over the next fifteen years he became a graphic and exhibit designer at the Indianapolis Zoo & White River Gardens and later the Indianapolis Children’s Museum (the largest children’s museum in the world). It wasn’t until 2009 that he learned how to paint in oil. He quickly assimilated the techniques of the Old Masters during his 3 year education at Zoll Studio School of Fine Art in Baltimore, Maryland. Zoll Studio is a rapidly emerging center for representational painting culture and education on the East Coast. Brandon now teaches there and creates artwork in his personal studio space. When asked to comment on one of Brandon’s paintings, many viewers liken the detail to that of a photograph. There is a tangibility to the weight and volume of objects and a meticulous precision to the detail of surfaces. His unique background shapes the way he thinks about his artwork: “because of my experience creating immersive exhibits, I think my paintings often have a sense of ‘theatre.’ I want to enchant the viewer and pull them across the picture plane.” Realism in Brandon’s case is startling in it’s effectiveness. Many of the Old Master’s materials and techniques allow him to push his paintings in new ways. The Maroger Medium (recreated by Jacque Maroger and used by artists such as Rembrandt, Rubens, and Velasquez) allows him to create delicate spectral glazes and luminous surfaces.

* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 14^th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.