Francis Focer Brown (American 1891-1971)

Francis Focer Brown was born in Glassboro, New Jersey. His family relocated to Muncie, Indiana, where Brown attended high school and fell under the tutelage of J. Ottis Adams. Brown subsequently enrolled in the John Herron Art Institute, studying under William Forsyth.

While at Herron he met his future wife, fellow painter Beulah H. Brown. The two shared a studio. Beulah was purported to be allergic to oil paint, thus (as some claim) resulting in a significant number of tempera and mixed-media works in Francis Brown’s oeuvre.

Establishing himself among the American Impressionists, he became well known for adopting stylistic conventions of fauvism and expressionism. He used bold colors, and was very prolific.

Francis Focer Brown was a Ball State Teachers College professor and director of the art department from 1925 until his retirement in 1957.

Brown exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy, Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Richmond Art Association. Francis F. Brown was the winner of several Hoosier Salon awards from 1922-1945.

His work was exhibited frequently at the Hoosier Salon- Indiana Artists Annual, Herron School of Art Museum, Ball State University, Indiana State Fair, Indiana Art Club and others. Brown studied With J. Ottis Adams and William Forsyth (artist) at the Herron School of Art; Ball State Teachers College, B.S.; Ohio State University, M.A. Member Indiana AC; Hoosier Salon. He exhibited at the Richmond Art Museum, 1922 (prize); John Herron Art Institute, 1922 (prize); Hoosier Salon, 1922–45 (awards); CMA, 1922–25; PAFA, 1922, 1923. His work is held in collections at John Herron Art Institute; Ball State University; Richmond Art Museum, and in various schools and libraries throughout USA

Source:

Pushkin Society in America

Fine Estate Art, Indianapolis, Indiana