Bill brauer biography

Painter and printmaker Bill Brauer was born in Queens, New York, in 1939. He attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City and studied independently with Federic Castellon, and began work as a freelance graphic artist. He learned printmaking in the early 1960s nad it became his fine art medium of choice, holding his first major exhibition with the Association of American Artists (AAA) in their "New Talent in Printmaking" show in 1974 to much acclaim. This led to a featured exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum and the purchase of an impression of each exhibition piece for their permanent collection. 

Among his commissioned works were a variety of album covers, books of prose and poetry, and periodicals, including Golf Digest and Denise McCluggage's The Centered Skier (1977).

In 1976 he received a grant from the Vermont Arts Council, which allowed for him to pursue painting more seriously. He focused entirely on the medium and by the 1980s had developed critical success, participating in shows throughtout the U.S. A major retrospective of his work spanning fifty years was held at the Bundy Modern in Vermont in 2016. 

He remained active until his death on February 28, 2019, in Warren, Vermont. A complete list of selected exhibitions can be found on the artist's estate website.

Known nationally for his Figurative paintings, American painter Bill Brauer grew up in Queens, New York knowing he would be an artist. Brauer attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City, and was a protégé of the renowned surrealist painter Federico Castellon.

His first years as an artist were spent working as an illustrator, where Brauer applied his intellect and imagination to progress in his profession. He feels he still uses the design concepts he learned as an illustrator as a painter, manipulating space and form to create a sense of tension and mystery.

In the early 1960s, Brauer became involved in printmaking, holding his first major exhibition in 1974 with the Associated American Artists, “New Talent in Printmaking’” exhibition.

His work gained acclaim, and was sought after for exhibition. His work was selected for the permanent collection of the Brooklyn Museum and was featured in the “19th Annual Print Exhibition”.

In 1976, he received an individual grant from the Vermont Arts Council. Having long harbored the desire to be a serious painter, in 1978 Brauer began to concentrate exclusively on painting. In the late eighties, his work won mounting success and has since been exhibited extensively across the United States in both solo and group exhibitions.

Brauer’s paintings are highly sensual and moody, using intense colors and a finely tuned drawing ability to beautifully render women in narrative yet mysterious scenes. In an interview with the Sunday Times Argus, Brauer says, “I love the concept of mystery. I like the idea that something is taking place off the picture plane”.

Based on mythological themes, dancing and beauty, Brauer paints as if hypnotized or haunted by his own muse. Sometimes seen as controversial Brauer's women can be viewed as contemplative, erotic and on occasion objectified. Painted in warm earthy colors that cast a glow over each woman, they appear sensual and inviting to the viewer. Brauer feels the art of sensuality is falling by the wayside. He does not necessarily want his subjects to be sexy, but instead sees them as just "natural, beautiful women" but with an air of mystery.

Born in New York, artist Bill Brauer started his career as an illustrator and print maker. Upon moving to Northern Vermont over thirty years ago, Brauer found that printmaking limited the size and color of his work so he began to work with oil paints. He has taught at several colleges and schools throughout Vermont and has been a driving force in advocating for artists in the area. His work has been exhibited in numerous shows over the last thirty-two years including the Brooklyn Museum and the Southern Vermont Art Center.