Irby Brown began his career in the most straight forward manner possible growing up in Paris, Texas, northeast of Dallas. Irby knew at a very early age he wanted to become an artist. He was commisioned to paint his first landscape by a local shop owner when he was thirteen years old. After this experience, a career of painting was set in stone. After graduating from high school, Irby served in the Army, and then studied with Olin Travis for three and one-half years at the Art Institute in Dallas.

From the very beginning, Brown was influenced by the Impressionists, which he experienced first hand in the Dallas Museum of Art. It was the colors juxtaposed together, the warm with the cool colors. What an impact, and the fact that they painted outdoors was not lost on Irby. He still paints outdoors much of the time.

Brown sold his work in Dallas galleries and taught art classes in his studio. It was a relationship with a collector he befriended that would impact his painting career forever. Al Wadle, a stockbroker from Florida bought two pieces of Irby's from a gallery in Ruidoso, New Mexico. After they moved to Dallas, Al's wife Alice took a class from Irby and not soon after they purchased a gallery in Santa Fe and asked Brown if he would be interested in exhibiting with him. Brown's work found a ready audience among the collectors who formed a relationship with the new gallery which enabled Irby to have a successful full-time career painting.

Irby Brown and his wife Patricia moved to Santa Fe in 1984 where they live today. They immediately fell in love with the beauty and breathtaking vistas of New Mexico. Although Irby is particularly well known for his snow scenes, he loves all the season's and paints year round. "I'd rather paint here than anywhere in the world" he says. "The reward of a painter is the gratification and joy you get from working outdoors and completing a successful painting.

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Website of the artist:

Following is an excerpt from the the obituary of Irby Brown as published in the Santa Fe New Mexican on June 7, 2016, and offered on line through legacy.com

IRBY G. BROWN Renowned southwest artist Irby G. Brown went to be with his Lord and Savior early Saturday morning 5/28/16. He passed peacefully without any pain or suffering while surrounded by his family. Despite Irby being well known for his masterful artwork, he will be remembered most by his family and close friends for his faith, his love of God and his kind hearted and humble personality.

Irby never gained any gratification from selling his art or the fame that went with his unparalleled talent; it was his satisfaction of being able to capture God's beauty through his art that pleased him the most.

Irby was born in Paris, Texas March 25, 1928. He graduated from Paris High School in 1945, he served in the U.S. Army. After he returned home from Japan he started his art training under Olin Travis, who had taught at the famed Art Institute of Chicago, thus beginning his long career as an artist.

He lived in Dallas with his family and then moved to Santa Fe where he and his wife lived for 25 years and he became renowned for his southwest art. Irby was once quoted as saying "When the painting was going well I felt like I was with the Creator and God was flowing through me".

Irby had a great love of the outdoors, gardening, fishing, hunting and he has passed those loves onto his children and grandchildren.

Irby is survived by his wife Patricia, his daughters Janet Price, Sarah Tipton, Becky Brown and his son Steve Brown and daughter in law Sue, as well as his sisters Billie Lou Duncan of Paris, Texas and Barbara Brothers of Addison, Texas. Additionally, he is survived by his many grandchildren and great grandchildren along with his many close friends.

Submitted by Charla Nelson, Manitou Galleries