About the Artist
Hello.
My name is Brett Pigon. I am an Radio Frequency (RF) electrical engineer
by profession, now with the title of Senior Scientist, and with list of hobbies that (used to) include
bicycling, running, backpacking, karate, in addition to photography
and painting. I live
in Grant, Florida with my family and pets. (update - had to stop
bicycling, running, backpacking, and karate due to a mystery leg muscle
problem, but at least I still have painting)
I
got a late start at painting and it occurred in a
strange way. While half-awake in the late morning
after the night shift of my college summer job, the
thought "I think I'll try painting today"
literally popped into my head. I refer to it as my epiphany. I had never even
thought about it previously. I had a set of oils
given years before by a relative who mistakenly
thought it was me, instead of my sister, who enjoyed
art in high school (I never took any art classes in
high school). Well the first product was abysmal but
it was a start. To create a picture out of
colored soup-like stuff was hard! But I persevered.
My second painting, of the USS Constitution (a
traditional ship painting), hung in my parent's
living room for about 20 years. My second, a mountain
scene out of National Geographic, still hangs in my
house. Not great art but they meet my measure of art
- would I look at it more than once?
Anyway,
like I said I kept at it, although always sparingly
between other demands; college, work, kids, etc. I
painted so infrequently though that I had to re-learn
things each time, like how to mix skin color (especially
in shadow), or get that skin blended smoothly. The
total number of paintings had been so few that like
as not I'd never done one like it so I had to
figure out how to achieve certain textures, lighting,
colors, etc. It may not be great or "fresh", I know, but it's OK and
it's mine and so I have a natural attachment to it. I
paint for my family and me and listen to my own voice and tastes. I am an amateur
painter, pretty much self-taught by the experience of painting
and reading a handful of books. I have had a smattering of training
if you can call it such; an introductory drawing and
painting class in college, and two adult ed classes (at
which absolutely nothing was taught I might add, but at least it was
forced practice which I needed).
I
owe most of my training to simply reading a handful
of books and looking at a lot of museum pictures. The
most significant book to me was "Painting
Techniques of the Masters" by Hereward Lester
Cooke Curator of Painting, National Gallery of Art in
Washington, DC ( a great book, only recently
challenged by a couple of Sister Wendy's art books).
I suppose it's the engineer in me but I see things in
a very literal way. Although I admire and appreciate
some other artistic styles, I can only be me (but I
feel I can copy anything I can see). Therefore all my
paintings are in a very realistic style while
striving to create a memorable, pleasing image.
Although this is largely passé in the art world (not
necessarily among average people however), I think in
the complex world we live in today there will always
be a place for this style.
I
made this site because a) it was fun, b) it is
perhaps the only stake to "immortality"
I'll ever have, and c) to share some of these
paintings with the people who have expressed their
pleasure at seeing a handful of them in my company's
employee art show. Thank you for your encouragement
over the years.
Update
- I have now ventured out into the "art community" and
have painted quite a bit more now that my sons are out of the house
with college and beyond. I joined the Strawbridge Art League,
and after finding out about the Art Students Guild of Brevard,
joined that. The former is a loose collection of artist county
wide that provides an outlet by way of periodic shows open to
members. The latter is a 50 year old cooperative that simply
practices art by getting together and drawing and painting
models. In the SAL and other local art shows, I have had a
smattering of success; half dozen merit Awards, a SAL Best of Show,
a 3rd Place, and a special John Dyke Oil Award. In the TASGOB,
I have learned a lot, particularly how to paint a lot faster and
with greater success with values while getting a lot better with
drawing. I am currently the president of the organization - my
way of ensuring it stays in existence for me to benefit from, in
these trying economic times.
phone
me at 321-543-3154 or e-mail
me at bpigon@bellsouth.net
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