Denis Brown was born in Dublin in 1968. Ireland's rich heritage of ancient calligraphy in manuscripts such as The Book of Kells, was inspiration for Denis Brown as a schoolboy. Denis studied calligraphy at St. Benildus College Dublin in 1981 and from 1985 to 1986 studied Visual Communications at the College of Marketing & Design, Dublin. Later, his rigorous formal training in traditional calligraphy was at London's Roehampton Institute with Ann Camp. Now his work explodes from, and extends, those traditions in the form of innovative modern works of art. Widely travelled with his work, he has won awards and commissions on four continents, and is internationally recognised as a world leader in the field of letter arts.

About the glass work exhibited here

These glass works are the artist's own technique making 3-D layered constructions of calligraphy. A work usually has six layers of glass, each engraved on both sides with writing, overlapping to build three dimensional 'text'-ures.

The lettering is engraved with a tool powered by compressed air, which spins a diamond tipped burr at up to 60,000 rpm - that's 1000 revolutions every second! Speed in writing is imperative. It encourages free, fast strokes, but demands control and discipline. The glass is also cream-etched in places to frost the surface.

The works are presented in box-frames, with the glass layers each spaced 5mm apart, and the actual depth of a work is about 6 cm.

In these flat reproductions, all legibility is lost, as is the 3-D effect, but in the original it is possible to focus on individual layers and decipher parts of the text.

Solo Shows

1998: Danmarks Grafiske Museum, Odense, Denmark
1996: Art Center of Battle Creek, Michigan, USA, - Hallward Gallery, Dublin
1994: Gallagher Gallery, RHA, Dublin - Hallward Gallery, Dublin
Grainstore Gallery, Galway
1992: Riverrun Gallery, Dublin

Group Shows

2002: Living Letters, CLAS fellows & associates Exhibition, UK; Faculty show, Connections Conference, Minnesota, USA.
2001: Faculty show, Calligraphic Odyssey conference, Boston, USA, RDS National Craftwinners Travelling Exhibition 1999: Writing Beyond Words, Connecticut, USA; Alpha Beta Club exhibition, Hong Kong; Internationale Kalligraphie, Berchtold Villa, Salzburg, Austria.
1998: Celebrating American Poetry, Frye Art Museum, Seattle, USA Discoveries, Faculty exhibit. University of San Diego, USA
1997: Belle Lettere Exhibition, Cittadella, Italy; Gateway to Art, Dublin Airport; SSI Exhibitions, Durham Art Gallery & Leamington Art Gallery; Confluence, Faculty & juried exhibits. Southern Illinois University, St. Louis
1996: Word as Image, Black Swan Guild, Somerset; SSI Celebration of Calligraphy, Leighton House, London; Words Revealed, MAC Center, Birmingham & tour; Picturing the Word. The Book of Kells, Trinity College Dublin; Oireachtas Exhibition, Dublin.
1995: Decorative Arts Today, Bonhams, London; Oireachtas Exhibition, Dublin; Gateway to Art, Dublin Airport; Bridges b Crossroads, Irish Life Center & tour; Codes & Messages, UK Crafts Council & tour
1994: The California Experience II, Faculty exhibition, Pitzer College, Los Angeles; RHA Exhibition, Dublin; Grainstore Gallery, Galway
1993: Contemporary Irish Art, Fujita Vente Museum, Tokyo; Talentborse Handwerk, Internationale Handwerksmesse, Munich; Oireachtas Exhibition, Dublin
1992: RHA annual exhibition, Dublin
1991: Europaisches Kunsthandwerk, Stuttgart; The Great Book of Ireland, Irish Museum of Modern Art; Fine Words, Fine Books, St Paul's Cathedral, London; Oireachtas Exhibition, Dublin
1990: RHA annual exhibition, Dublin

Recent Awards

2008: Numerous honours received at YouTube.com for 2 movies uploaded to YouTube, including top 50 listings for both movies in all of the following: Most Discussed (This Month) - Film & Animation; Most Viewed (January) - Film & Animation; Top Favourites (January) - Film & Animation; Top Rated (This Month) - Film & Animation.

2007: RDS National Craft Competition, 1st prize, category for Calligraphy; other media

2006:  National Craft Award (click here for more details).

2005: 2nd Prize, Review 2005, annual international letter arts competition, Letter Arts Review, USA.

2003: First Prize, Review 2003, Letter Arts Review, USA; First Prize, Calligraphy on Paper category, RDS National Craft Competition; Crafts Council of Ireland Purchase Award; Golden Web Award 2003-2004 2002: Golden Web Award 2002-2003

PUBLICATIONS & REVIEWS

International specialist publications

Letter Arts Review, USA,(formerly Calligraphy Review): featured in annual reviews 2006, (cover image and elsewhere inside), 2005, (2nd prize), 2004, 2003 (overall winner), 2002, 1998, '97, '96, '95, '94; also featured in vol.19 number 1; vol.17 number 4; & letter's column vol.14 number 4.
Calligraphy Review, USA; Full color illustrated articles: review of Ancient Codex series, vol. 11 no.1, 1994; and Great Book of Ireland, vol. 9 no.4, 1992; also featured in Fall '89, & annual reviews '93, '91, '90.

International Calligraphy Guild articles and reviews

Ars Scribendi, Germany, illustrated article 'Denis Brown, Virtuose der Feder', Jahrgang 13, Nr.2, August 2006
Majuscule, Journal of the St. Louis Calligraphy Guild, Special 25th anniversary Exhibit Edition, vol. 17 2006
Colophon, Australian Society of Calligraphers Journal, June 2007- extensive workshop reviews; March 2006- illustrated article by Denis Brown. Also Colophon Vol. 23 no.1, Dec 2002; Vol 2, June 1995
Postscript, Calligraphy Society of Victoria, Australia; Feb-March 2005; June-July 1995
ACA Newsletter, Association for the Calligraphic Arts, USA: full illustrated article Spring 2003, also cover image Winter 2003
The Edge magazine of CLAS, UK, August 2005 full color special: features several articles by Denis Brown who guest designed the issue with David McGrail. See also frequent snippets in The Edge since the first issue, and esp. the the March '97 issue, co-written & designed by Denis Brown & David McGrail.
Alpha Club Japan, Journal Vol. 5 2004, Creators Interviews
The Scribe, Journal of The Society of Scribes & Illuminators UK: Issues no. 45, 52, 54, 55, 57, 60, 61, 68.
Handscrit, Houston Calligraphy Guild, Sept/Oct 2003, Denis Brown full color cover image.
Kalligrafisk Forum Danmark: no. 2 August 2001.
Scriptores, Belgium: no.4, 2000.
Letters & Letters, Dutch/Belgian magazine, December 2000 and frequently since then.
Hong Kong Lettering Arts Club Newsletter, Spring 1999, Summer 1999
Alphabet, Journal of the Friends of Calligraphy, San Francisco, USA, vol. 22 no.2, Winter 1997; vol. 19 no.3 Summer 1994; vol. 18 no. 2 Spring 1993, article by Jane Boyd.
Society of Scribes Newsletter, New York, USA, Vol 21, no.1, Winter 1997.
Pacific Scribes Journal ,CA, USA, winter 1997
The Western Scribe, Journal of the Calligraphers Guild of W. Australia: June '93.
Calligrafia: Rivista Periodica N.I, Primavera '92, Italy.
Calligraphy Society of New Zealand, Christchurch NZ, May 1995, reviews of Denis Brown work and workshops.
New Zealand Calligraphers newsletter, Auckland NZ, Summer 1994.

Other International magazines and Journals

Artists' Cafe, Best of Somerset Studio, USA: 6 page color feature on Denis Brown, Vol 1 issue1, 2007.
Easy Traveler, Japan, vol.14 2006, Ireland Feature.
The English Journal, (USA), Jan 2006- cover art by Denis Brown.
China Review, UK, Summer 2005, issue 33: review of ‘The Music of Ink’ by Helen Wang.
Somerset Studio, USA: full illustrated article Nov/Dec 2002
Letterheads, US sign painters journal: vol.7 no.1, 2002
Print Magazine, USA: Jan/Feb 2001, article Strokes of Genius by Paul Shaw on International calligraphic art includes work by Denis Brown.
Digital Design, Denmark: no. 28 August 2001.
MOE magazine, Japan: February 2000, September 1998.
Artex, Japan; International Art review, Associazione per GLI Scambi Artistici Internazionali, no. 3,1999.
Brutus Magazine Japan: April '97, March '95.
Marie-Claire Magazine Japan: Nov. '96.
Crafts, magazine of the British Crafts Council: Jan/Feb '92; Featured in article 'Strokes of Genius-The New Calligraphy' by Ewan Clayton, plus cover image by Denis Brown
The Architects Journal, UK: August '92.
The Artist, UK: December '92.
Leisure Painter, UK: November '92
Craft Review, Magazine of the Crafts Council of Ireland: Winter '89, Issue No. 2, 1990, Winter '91.

Irish magazines/journals

Irish Arts Review: Winter 2007, Irish Craft 2007 supplement; Summer 2007, 'Standard Setters' feature; Spring 2006, Crafts Council Portfolio +CD-Rom; Vol 8 (1991-92) 149, Great Book of Ireland
Crafts Council Stopress: Jul/Aug 2006, feature 'Bursary Winners 2006'.
Craft Review, Magazine of the Crafts Council of Ireland: Winter '89, Issue No. 2, 1990, Winter '91.
Cara magazine: Vol. 24, No.5. Sept/Oct 1991, feature: 'The Great Book of Ireland'.
Illustrators Ireland Journal: issue 5, 1994, article and interview.
Progress, RDS Magazine 2, 4 1991-2, 'The Calligraphic Challenge of Denis Brown',
Craft Review, Crafts Council of Ireland: Winter '89; Issue No. 2, 1990; Winter '91

Selected Press features & reviews

South Bend Tribune, IN, USA, 22 May 2005, Interview by Andrew S. Hughes
Sunday Business Post, IRL,16 Jul 2000, Adrienne Dunne picks her ultimate home accessory
Kalamazoo Gazette, MI, USA, 22 Sept 1996, Review by Roger Green
Battle Creek Enquirer, MI, USA, 22 Sept 1996, review by Roxanne Barry
Battle Creek Enquirer, MI, USA, 17 Sept 1996, review by Mark Schwerin
Grand Rapids Press, MI, USA, 11 Sept 1996, Review by Roger Green
The Irish Times, 22nd Jan 1996, Letter to the editor by Denis Brown.
The Irish Times, 12th Jan 1996, Brian Fallon reviews Denis Brown exhibition.
The Irish Catholic, 29 Sept 1994, Review by Kate Robinson
The Irish Times, 27 August, 1994, Luke Clancy reviews 'The Word' exhibition at the RHA.
The Sunday Independent, 21 August 1994 Ciara Ferguson on 'The Word' exhibition.
The New York Times, 1st Jan 1994, featured 'The Great Book of Ireland'.
The Irish Times, 11th Sept 1993, Ciaran MacGonigal, The Opulent Eye
The Irish Times, Aug 3, 1993, Jane Powers reviews the RDS Crafts Competition.
The Irish Independent,12th Oct 1992, Bruce Arnold reviews Denis Brown’s 'Inverse Alchemy' exhibition.
Irish Press, 26 June 1991; 'The Great Book of Ireland' feature, and cartoon!
Irish Independent, 26 June 1991; 'The Great Book of Ireland' feature
Irish Press, 26 June 1991; 'The Great Book of Ireland' feature
Sunday Press, IRL, 23 June 1991, color supplement on Great Book of Ireland
Sunday Tribune, IRL, 23 June 1991, color supplement on Great Book of Ireland
The Irish Times, 15 June 1991, color feature on Great Book of Ireland
The Irish Times, 27 Jan 1990; 'The Great Book of Ireland' preview
Irish Independent, 9th Aug 1989: 'In A Word, A Whizz Kid' review.
The Times, UK, 26th Nov 1987. Feature and interview with Denis Brown as a calligraphy student in London.
Young Citizen Magazine, IRL, Nov-Dec 1982- review about Denis Brown making a manuscript book at 14 years old!

Books featuring Denis Brown

Digital Calligraphy, George Thomson, 2003.
Passie voor Letters, Marianne Heemskerk, Cantecleer Baarn 2002.
Dublin's Art Beat, Tokyo, Japan,1999.
Belle Lettere, Carlo Buffa, Edizioni Centrooffset, Italy,1997.
The Art of Calligraphy, David Harris, Dorling Kindersly, London,1995.
Calligraphy, Art & color, Peter Halliday, Batsford, London, 1994.
Calligraphy -The Rhythm of Writing, Satwinder Sehmi, Merhurst, London, 1993.
Lettering Arts, Joanne Fink & Judy Kastin, PBC, New York, 1993.
Calligraphy, David Harris, Anaya, London, 1992.
International Crafts, Martina Margetts, Thames & Hudson, London, 1991.
Encyclopedia of Calligraphy Techniques, Diane Hardy Wilson, Quarto, 1990.
Advanced Calligraphy Techniques, Diana Hoare, Quarto, London, 1989.

Collections

2006,  National Museum of Ireland:
The National Museum of Ireland have acquired a work in glass for their permanent collection. The commission was based on an earlier piece which museum curators had seen on the Irish Crafts Council's 'Portfolio' CD-rom, and the new work now forms part of the National Craft Collection, co-funded by the Crafts Council of Ireland and the National Museum. 

Other collections:  European Parliament, Strasbourg & Brussels.  San Francisco Public Library.  British Library, London. Trinity College Library, Dublin. Chester Beatty Library, Dublin. Crafts Council of Ireland. Irish Office of Public Works. Cittadella Town Council, Italy. Irish Association of Pension Funds.  Irish Life PLC. Calligraphy Society of Victoria, Australia. The Great Book of Ireland, Dublin Castle. In many private collections.

Societies
Society of Scribes and lluminators, Fellow, UK Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society, Fellow, YK Honorary Membership of Hong Kong Letter Arts Club & Alpha Beta Club Hong Kong.