Fun and refined, Metro State College of Denver alumni Sean Brown's art delivers smiles

Sean Brown hopes his artwork will make you smile. The playful colors, shapes and textures of each of his unique, handmade pieces of jewelry and framed art are sure to make you crack a grin.

Brown creates one-of-a-kind fired ceramic clay and mixed-media jewelry, as well as larger works to brighten the walls of any home's décor. Contemporary and compelling are both appropriate adjectives for Brown's work. The “C” words come from his creative use of form and juxtaposition of textures.

Brown is well known for his works depicting dogs, cats and, especially, birds. Each animal is whimsically shaped by hand with ceramic clay. This is just the beginning of Brown's elaborate process. Next, vibrant colors of underglazes are applied, and the pieces are fired in a kiln at temperatures reaching 2,000 degrees. After a second firing, Brown uses special pens and fine brushes to apply an overglaze of 22-karat gold. The pieces are placed back into the kiln a third time, with some works receiving up to five firings.

After the pieces cool enough to handle, Brown thoroughly inspects each one and occasionally sandblasts them to give a rich, matte finish. Certain pieces are adorned with more elements, typically 14-karat gold beads, sterling silver and semi-precious stones. Brown's birds receive soft, natural parrot and pheasant feathers to soften the slick glazed look of the fired clay.

Each material in Brown's work adds yet another layer of visual interest. The arduous processes and strict attention to details and materials used gives Brown's work a very distinct personality. The end results are always both fun and refined. Whether the finished product is a piece of wearable art or a delightful find for your home, Sean Brown's work brings joy.

Brown has been showing off his work publicly since 1989 and has used his art to support such important organizations as the Denver SafeHouse, Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities and more. He holds a fine arts degree from the Metropolitan State College in Denver and still calls the city home. Brown is trekking up the mountain this weekend to host a demonstration and show off his newest works at the Art on a Whim gallery in Breckenridge.