Eric Brew: Aspects of Transition

In its continuing role to present and celebrate work by regional artists, Taylor-Jensen Fine Arts hosts an exhibition by prolific Feilding artist Eric Brew. His latest works are a diverse collection of paintings that illustrate the many and varied aspects of art that have tempted and attracted this talented artist during the last several years. Consisting of 15 paintings which range from figural to full abstraction the exhibition displays canvases that depict Brew’s ‘journey’ and reflect the creative consciousness driven by his own personal artistic muse. Each artist sees the world from a different perspective and through a different set of eyes; this exhibition is Eric’s viewpoint on art which he says is not guided by the marketplace but rather only by the muse that directs his brush onto canvas.

Brew writes: “This exhibition is about presenting a body of work that is driven by impulse rather than by market constraint. Each one is different and although they may relate to one another they are not part of any series. As I paint there may be several works at various stages of completion waiting for chalked ideas or the shifts and changes which alter the brushwork or the colour. Each of their own world, yet linked to all no matter the style, theme or genre. This is how I work, several pieces progressing together. Often a complication in one is corrected in another; a representational piece may supply the fundamentals for an abstract work. Each theme or subject requires its own format. I believe it would be unwise to restrict the direction of a work in order to comply with an accepted regime of presentation.

Transition is a constant element in my life and my painting. During the last four years, I’ve let the reins go, the horse has bolted and the ride has been phenomenal. I’m flying through a myriad of approaches, experiencing expanses of creative consciousness that turns even porridge into an art piece. Allowing myself to be the artist has been a significant leap. Wonderful to be here.”

Eric Brew may not be a household name but his art is probably known to many. The King Street (Palmerston North) planter box mosaics are Eric’s as is the Trust Power Mural in the city’s Convention Centre and a whole host of murals on the sides of buildings throughout the Manawatu. The fountain plinth at Arohanui Hospice is also his work. Brew was the fourth child in a family of five. Brought up in what he calls “railway village culture”, Eric was a passionate rugby player from barefoot days at primary school to Wellington Club Rugby where he excelled as a hooker in the front row and often as Team Captain. He worked at a wide variety of both professional and labour-intensive jobs from being a publicist at NZBC to fencing and pumpkin picking.

Brew is primarily self-taught, never, he says, making the conscious decision to be an ‘artiste’. He stumbled into tutoring in 1987 presenting a ‘how-to’ and ‘why’ mode of lessons which continued for 16 years. He has presented many creative workshops for community groups such as the Alzheimer’s Society and Social Services. Brew has taken part in three Wellington exhibitions and regularly shows in Feilding and at Taylor-Jensen Fine Arts.