Western Gallery and Vaughn Art proudly present 

OF ALL THE THINGS I’VE EVER KNOWN

the first major solo exhibition for fine artist Brandon Owen

Opening Reception: Thursday, February 9, 6-9 pm
‍
RSVP: https://brandon-owen-of-all-the-things.eventbrite.com

What/Who: the first major solo exhibition of original artworks by Nashville-based street-meets-western-pop artist, Brandon Owen, presented by Western Gallery in conjunction with Austin-based Vaughn Art Agency + Gallery.

When: Thursday, February 9 – Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Where: Vaughn Art Gallery: 2307 Thornton Rd. #112, Austin, TX 78704

Why: Owen’s artwork is hitting at a new intersection of street and western pop that resonates where cowboy, punk rock and urban cultures meet. Austin needs to see this.

How: Come visit in person at Vaughn Art on Thornton Road. Attend the opening and/or come by to browse or for a personal tour of the work.

Contacts: George Irwin, george@western.gallery, 512-693-8787

Ashley Nussbaum, ashley@vaughn-art.com, 760-222-0799

‍

WESTERN GALLERY AND VAUGHN ART PRESENT BRANDON OWEN: OF ALL THE THINGS I’VE EVER KNOWN

Currently working in Nashville, Brandon Owen’s work is hitting at a new intersection of street art and western pop art as he’s pushing into new mediums to bring his vision to life. 

Owen’s large mixed media works on canvas and paper, experimental wood reliefs, painted cowboy boots and more will be on display February 9-28 at Vaughn Art Agency + Gallery at 2307 Thornton Road, #112, 78704.

Owen will be in attendance for the opening reception at Vaughn Art this February 9th, along with performing musician Cactus Lee, Alvies Boots, Soto Vino wines and Lone Star beer. 

[AUSTIN, TEXAS – January 9, 2023; source: Western Gallery] – Great art comes from big emotion and personal transformation, which have certainly been present for Nashville-based fine artist Brandon Owen over the last year. This past December, Owen welcomed his first child into the world —an event that for many stirs memories of childhood into the present reality—and this new chapter’s effects are evident in this new body of work, which defines a new space in the art world. 

Having grown up in California around working cowboys, Owen didn’t begin making art for others until his teenage years riding a skateboard. The graphic nature and punk DIY ethos of the skateboarding community inspired and nurtured his artistic development until he eventually landed in Nashville designing visuals for major label records. The graphic aesthetic is still with him, but upon making room in his career for fine art—exploring what he wanted to make without the constraints of a corporate client—the influences of his early years started to return. Cowboys and horses began finding their way onto canvases in a Banksy-esque stencil and intuitive scribble approach, creating a tension that perfectly reflects the tastes of today’s urban cowboy, who are much more familiar with Banksy, Warhol and Hirst than Remington, Russell or Leigh.

Owen found success selling originals on Instagram fairly quickly, and while those successes fueled his artistic fire, adding “father” to his resume focused him more than ever.

“Prepping for the birth of our daughter changed my thinking about why I do things. Once I held her, things felt totally different. Now I want to be more delicate and more precise with what I am trying to accomplish. I’m more concerned with making meaningful and interesting pieces,” Owen says.

The title, “Of All the Things I’ve Ever Known” not-so-subtly hints at the significance of this latest life event, but it also refers to the breadth of medium and subject in this body of work. With works ranging from quilts to CNC cut wall reliefs, this collection of artworks reflects the material influences of the South and the Old West, and provides a welcome depth to the show. Further, Owen is pushing his natural tendency to juxtapose contrary perceptions even further, creating a tenuous balance between subject and medium, craft and naivité.

“I’m excited to lean into playing with meanings and norms of pieces. Pulling from my whole lifetime of experiences, living in the south and the west, I’m taking one medium that may be reminiscent or appear as one thing but using it in [an unexpected] way that makes total sense to me,” he says.

“Of All The Things I Have Ever Known references my life; where I am now is better than all of the things I have ever known. And using techniques, inspirations and mediums that I have learned throughout my life, I am making art from all of the things I have ever known.”

Owen’s work will be on display from February 9 through the end of the month at Vaughn Art Agency + Gallery in Austin, TX, and online at www.western.gallery.

ABOUT BRANDON OWEN

Brandon Owen has made a name for himself within the contemporary western art genre by combining his intuitive illustrative instincts with cowboy influences of his youth, filtered through a lifetime of graphic design.

Somewhere between starting out in California designing graphics for his skateboard crew and his eventual move to Tennessee designing graphics for country recording artists, Owen began dedicating more and more time to his fine art practice, with paintings being shown and collected across the country.

These days, you can find Brandon at home in his studio working on his next project and enjoying spending time with his family in Tennessee and Kentucky.

ABOUT WESTERN GALLERY
https://western.gallery/ | @westerngallery

Western Gallery curates distinct perspectives of the American West, from abstract to photorealistic and classic to contemporary. Founded in January of 2020 by George Irwin with a mission to serve fine artists and online art lovers worldwide while connecting viewers to the land, cultures and heritage of western North America, Western Gallery is notable for launching the careers of numerous ultra-contemporary ‘western’ artists.

‍

ABOUT VAUGHN GALLERY
https://vaughn-art.com | @_vaughn_art_

Vaughn Art was founded by Rachel Drake, supported by Ashley Nussbaum, to give emerging artists a platform and a space to grow their independent art businesses, while curating art for collectors for personal enjoyment and investment pieces.