Colleen Browning facts for kids

Colleen Browning (born May 16, 1918 – died August 22, 2003) was a talented painter. She was from both England and America. Colleen was known for her realistic paintings. She also created art in a style called magic realism. This style mixes real life with a touch of wonder.

Colleen Browning's Early Life

Colleen Browning was born on May 16, 1918. Her birthplace was Shoeburyness, England. Even as a child, Colleen was a very gifted artist. Her parents saw her talent and helped her. They enrolled her in art schools.

Learning to Paint

In 1933, she went to the Farnham School of Arts. The next year, her art was shown in London. She also studied at the Salisbury School of Arts and Craft. In 1935, her drawings were shown at the Whitechapel Gallery.

From 1937 to 1939, Colleen studied at the Slade School of Art in London. She even got a full scholarship! During World War II, she used her skills. She worked as a mapmaker for the Royal Air Force. Later, she designed sets for movies in London.

Moving to America

In 1948, Colleen met Geoffrey Wagner. He was an English writer. They decided to get married in America. Geoffrey had a teaching job there. Colleen moved to New York City in 1949. She became an American citizen a year later. She lived in New York City for over 50 years.

Colleen Browning's Art Career

Colleen Browning became a very important artist. She was part of the realism movement in New York City. This was a time when other art styles were popular. One of these was Jackson Pollock's abstract art. Colleen often painted scenes of New York City. She showed everyday urban life. For example, her painting Holiday (1951-52) shows a street scene. She painted it from her apartment window.

Exhibitions and Style

In 1952, her work was shown at the Whitney Museum of American Art. The next year, she had her own show. It was at the Edwin Hewitt Gallery in New York City.

Later in her career, Colleen's art changed. She started painting in the magic realism style. Her paintings began to mix real life with imagination. For example, Picture of a Painting of the Great Circus Parade (1988) shows a real event. But it also has a dreamy, wonderful feeling. Her art is known for its amazing skill. She wanted to understand what it means to be human.

Teaching and Other Work

Colleen Browning also shared her knowledge. She taught art at Pratt Institute. She also taught at the City College of New York. From 1978 to 1982, she taught at the National Academy of Design.

In the 1970s, she painted subway cars. These cars were covered in graffiti. She painted dreamy faces looking out of the windows. In the 1980s, she painted people who could tell the future. Like many artists, she also did commercial illustrations. She also made prints to earn money.

Colleen Browning passed away in New York City in 2003. She left many of her paintings to the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art. This museum has helped people learn more about her art.

Recognizing Colleen Browning's Art

Colleen Browning was a member of the National Academy of Design. This is a very respected group of artists. She was on their council from 1969 to 1972.

Where Her Art Was Shown

Her paintings have been shown in many famous places. These include:

• The Whitney Museum of Art
• The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
• The Walker Art Gallery
• The Cleveland Museum of Art
• The Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

During her life, her work was also in many magazines. These included Time, The New York Times, and Newsweek.

Recent Exhibitions

In 2013, special shows of her art were organized. They were at Fairfield University. One show was called Colleen Browning: The Early Works. Another was Colleen Browning: A Brush with Magic. This show also traveled to Ireland and other cities.

Colleen Browning's unique paintings stand out. She painted many different things. These included churches in Guatemala and subway cars in Harlem. Her art has a special, colorful style. It has made her work unique for many years.

Colleen Browning's Art Collections

You can find Colleen Browning's art in many museums. Here are some of them:

• Detroit Institute of Arts
• Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
• The Milwaukee Art Center
• The Seattle Art Museum
• The St. Louis Art Museum
• The New York State Art Museum
• The National Museum of Women in the Arts
• Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art
• The National Academy of Design

See also

• Realism (arts)
• Magic realism