Betty Brown RUA

Betty Brown attended Regent House Grammar School, Newtownards, 1967-74 and did the Foundation Year at the Ulster Polytechnic 1974-75. She gained her B.A. in Fine Art from Portsmouth Polytechic and returned to complete an M.A. at the University of Ulster, 1984-85 when she made a dramatic change of direction to scultpture.

She won the Guinness Peat Aviation Award for emerging artists in 1986. Brown is currently working as an artist in the community. In 1999 she did a residency with the Ballinglen Arts Foundation at Ballycastle and has been elected a Fellow of the Foundation.

A recurring theme in Betty's work has been the exploration of the human/animal relationship in sculptoral form, using animals to convey human characteristics from predatory and violent to vulnerable and fragile. Betty uses very accessible materials taken from the household, wardrobe and abandoned toy box, still allowing them to remain visible in the underlying armature of the beast. The use of 'fur' inites touch and sensation and has an appeal for children particurlary in the interactive works with sound effects.

Betty's sculptures have been described as humorous, surreal, ramshackle, funny, and engaging. Make your own mind up!