NAME: Paul Brewster
BIRTH PLACE: Sunderland - England
BIRTH DATE: 4.4.60
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Sunderland, England, Paul Brewster grew up in the 1960s and 70’s living close to the dramatic coastline of Durham and Northumbria. His stringent upbringing was a close knit affair where the boundaries between groups however were as distinct as the clear boundaries between land, sea and sky.
After a three year spell in his first job, combining work in the lumber mills on the banks of the River Wear, felling trees in the forests of Northumbria and erecting fences and crash barriers on Britain's motorways, Brewster studied painting for four years at Sunderland Polytechnic - graduating in 1985 and in 1994 completing his masters at Northumbria University.
He remained in the North-East during this time where he shared a number of studios in Villias Street, the infamous Bunker in Sunderland and in Newcastle at City Studios.
In addition to national and international exposure since his first exhibition in 1988, he has been accepted on a regular basis for the BP Portrait Awards exhibited annually at The National Portrait Gallery, London. In 1995 and 1997 he was short-listed for the prestigious First Prize and was awarded a commendation on each of these occasions.
Representation by E1 Gallery in London in the late 1990’s and an appointment at Cambridge University meant a move in 2002 closer to the capital, where, in addition to part-time teaching, he worked with Trilogy Laser Craft in Huntingdon. During this period he began a number of new projects including a move into video and developed techniques utilizing the company’s state-of-the-art laser equipment.
Seeking fresh inspiration Brewster moved to Poland in 2004. After three and a half years living and working in Warsaw and a short spell in Bialystok, he moved back to England in the Spring of 2008 and now continues to develop his practice further from his current base back in his native North-East of England where he aims to complete work for exhibition in Hamburg sometime next year.
Throughout his professional career Brewster has continued to have both solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. His work is held in public and private collections throughout the UK, USA and Europe.
