PAUL BREWSTER

To accommodate what he calls ‘the latent facsimiles of self’, Paul Brewster is anything but afraid to exploit in his work what he believes to be the necessary tendency in us all towards the voyeuristic analysis of ‘whatever’ in order to necessitate self tolerance and self recognition...

He concedes that his work is an acknowledgment of the need to collate particular references, often embracing unforeseen cultural taboos, in order to fulfil the un-played 'desires' of the individual. He goes on to say, ‘it’s not so much the desire to befriend that counts, but whatever it is that attracts and intrigues - the bits that we recognize within or even beyond the extremities which lie unused in ourselves that count in adding a little to the veiled questions relating to the human condition’. En-route to a place the artist is often unsure of himself, in consequence, his work cuts across a variety of media depending on the given subject.

Born in Sunderland, England, Paul Brewster grew up in the 1960s and 70’s living close to the dramatic coastline of Durham and Northumbria. His stringent upbringing was a close knit affair where the boundaries however between groups were as distinct as the clear boundaries between land, sea and sky.

After a three year spell in his first job, combining work in the lumber mills on the banks of the River Wear, felling trees in the forests of Northumbria and erecting fences and crash barriers on Britain's motorways, Brewster studied sculpture then painting for four years at Sunderland Polytechnic - graduating in 1985 and in 1994 completing his masters at Northumbria University.

He remained in the North-East during this period where he frequented a number of studios: in Villias Street with Sunderland Artist Group, followed by a longer spell at the vibrant, some would say infamous, Bunker on Stockton Road and finally in Newcastle at City Studios.

In addition to national and international exposure since his first exhibition in 1988, he has since been accepted on a regular basis for the BP Portrait Awards exhibited annually at The National Portrait Gallery, London. In 1995 and 1997 he was short-listed for the prestigious First Prize and was awarded a commendation on each of these occasions.

Representation by E1 Gallery in London in the late 1990’s and an appointment at Cambridge University meant a move in 2002 closer to the capital, where, in addition to part-time teaching, he worked with Trilogy Laser Craft in Huntingdon. During this period he began a number of new projects including a move into video and developed techniques utilizing the company’s state-of-the-art laser equipment.

Seeking fresh inspiration Brewster moved to Poland in 2004. After three years living and working in Warsaw followed by a short spell in Białystok (a proud city situated near the border of Belarus), he moved back to England in the Spring of 2008 where he continues to develop his practice further from his current base in his native North-East. From here he aims to complete work for exhibition in Hamburg sometime next year.

Throughout his professional career Brewster has continued to have both solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. His work is held in public and private collections throughout the UK, USA and Europe.

                 national awards and prizes:

1997          BP Portrait Award – NPG – Short-listed for First Prize – Awarded Commendation
1995          BP Portrait Award – NPG – Short-listed for First Prize – Awarded Commendation
1995 / 98   Northern Arts Awards for Artists
1985          Backhouse Prize for Drawing – First Prize

                 exhibitions:

2007          OLD LAND  – NOWY PEJZAŻ [solo] – Filharmonia Podlaska,  Białystok, Poland
2004          DEAD BABES [solo] – the GALLERY, Huntingdon
2002          ROYAL SOCIETY of PORTRAIT PAINTERS – Mall Galleries, London
2001          BP PORTRAIT AWARDS:      National Portrait Gallery, London
                                                            The New Millennium Gallery, Sheffield
1999          VITAL ART – e1 Gallery @ Gallery 77, Cowcross Street, London
1999          LOCAL AMNESIA [solo] – Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle
1999          SELF PORTRAIT – The Brewery Gallery, Kendal
1999          NEWCASTLE X – University of Northumbria, Newcastle
1998          BP PORTRAIT AWARDS:      National Portrait Gallery, London
                                                            Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen
1998          MYTHICAL REALISM – e1 Gallery @ Coningsby Gallery, London
1997          FABULOUS TRANSGRESSIONS – Vardy Gallery, Sunderland
1997          BP PORTRAIT AWARDS:      National Portrait Gallery, London
                                                            Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen
                                                            Ulster Museum, Belfast
                                                            Vardy Gallery, Sunderland
1996          BP PORTRAIT AWARDS:      National Portrait Gallery, London
                                                            Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen
1995          BP PORTRAIT AWARDS:      National Portrait Gallery, London
                                                            Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen
1994          FROM A NEW CITY – Washington Arts Centre, Washington
1994          THE EQUIVOCAL SELF [solo] – University of Northumbria MA Shows, Newcastle
1993          LAING ART PRIZE – University Gallery, Newcastle
1993          DAS LAND [solo] – Simmons, Anderson and Ramshaw, Sunderland
1992          NORTHERN PSYCHE [4 person show] – Gray Gallery, Hartlepool
1992          THE ROMANTIC BODY [solo] – Capers Gallery, Sunderland
1991          ART ON LOAN II – Northern Centre for Contemporary Art, Sunderland
1990          NEW BRITISH ART:        Blue Stone Gallery, Anchusa U.S.A.
                                                       Trump Castle Casino, Atlantic City U.S.A.
1990          ARTISTS AT THE BUNKER [3 person show] – Middlesbrough Art Gallery, Middlesbrough
1988          ART IN SUNDERLAND – Sunderland Museum & Art Gallery, Sunderland

                 qualifications:

1994          MA Fine Art, University of Northumbria
1985          BA (Hon) Fine Art (2-1), Sunderland Polytechnic

                 work held in public collections @

                 Tyne and Wear Museum & Art Galleries
                 University of Sunderland
                 Sunderland Town Hall & Civic Centre
                 European Union Government Buildings, Brussels