We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Bil Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bil below.
Bil, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
After awhile, humans collect experiences. When you start to notice that those experiences stack up to make you who you are then its a point to offer what you have discovered to others.
In my case, it was simply noticing what I notice. Beyond that, some sort of informed noticing that follows the three rules of my two main art forms: poetry and photography. First rule, be there. Second rule, watch and listen. Third rule, accept something for what it is.
When all the dust cleared over thirty years of doing this, you have what one would call “purpose”. It cam come sooner or later for some, in my case it took a couple of decades of being an adult to all sort of “click” into place!
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’ve been an artist, for lack of a better description, for almost four decades. I got an MFA within the first 10 years, worked the next ten years in the corporate arena, then at some point abruptly became my own boss which I have now been for over 20 years. I suppose you would call me a photographer, or a new designation that has come up recently – Lens Based Artist. I work with both analog and digital processes, but was never really into over processing my work with retouching or edits. My work is based in the documentary tradition. I have worked almost exclusively with people and clients have included magazines, corporations, and individual artists, actors and industry insiders. So called “street photography” hit me around 15 years ago as the hardest and most rewarding form of photography. What this means is work that has social importance, and even political purpose is part of my practice as an artist.
When I received my MFA in the 1990s it was from a small Buddhist college in Colorado. It’s unimportant now what that degree was in, but most of my teachers were pretty well known for what they did. My oldest daughter went to a pretty reputible college of art here in Los Angeles during the pandemic. When one of her instructors told her to “YouTube it” I realized that what I got as an education in the arts is essentially over. Since I feel that a young artist is best served by gaining instruction from someone who they themselves have created a notable work of art, I decided that at my age and level of experience it was high time that I teach, that I give back.
I am starting a mentorship project in Los Angeles and on Zoom. I am hoping people get out of it what I experienced in my own education. Since I am still a working artist I am not sure how often I will be able to offer this, but from time to time as needed I will do what I can! I think it’s important to continue the tradition, and lineage of informed art practice. We don’t have enough of it!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities I think were most impactful for me, personally, are: being critical, having attainable goals, and following through.
Learning to be critical is number one. A young person has to be able to find out what is really going on, especially in this era of misinformation and emotional impact. Sometimes your goals will help with your critical thinking, because if something is not part of your goals then why are you worried about it. This can be national politics or ideas of identity, this can be many of the things that impact us from the outside that maybe we don’t actually feel but are told to. Stay on target. The follow through is the most important part.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
George Battaille’s The Accursed Share. Energy is economics, not the buying and selling of goods. Human relationships from the most personal like a marriage or your relationship to your children, all the way to the way that countries and states relate to the world are more impactful to your wealth than some abstract numbers on a screen that tell you how much is in your bank account.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.bilbrown.com
- Instagram: @bilbrown
- Facebook: bilbrown
- Linkedin: @bilbrown
- Twitter: @bilbrown
- Youtube: bilbrownphotography
Image Credits
all photos by Bil Brown
