for immediate press release -- richard lotman brown (bio 2010)

 

This has been a noteworthy year for richard lotman brown. His work is currently, featured in B&W Magazine, 2010, a Collector's Magazine. With two pieces in the Kemper Contemporary Museum's permanent collection, Richard was included in the museum's recent exhibit, “Artists Who Made the Kansas City Art Scene.” His work was juried into the Photography Society of America's International Photography Exhibit. Richard's work was also selected, in two categories, into the Third Annual Photography Masters Cup online exhibit and annual publication. Judges from 20 countries nominate photographic artists who represent 92 countries. In two categories, Brown's pieces were, also, amongst a small group of Honorable Mentions in the 2009 International Photography Awards, sponsored in conjunction with the Lucie Awards.

In 2008, Brown was accepted into the Soho Gallery, in Manhattan. His previous accolades include selection as the “cover” artist for the 10th Anniversary of FotoFusion, at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre. Three of his fine art photographs have been featured in an episode of ABC's, Extreme Makeover, Home Edition. Brown is, also, the recipient of a Non-partisan, Letter of Appreciation, from the Oval Office, for his abstract piece “A Beautiful America,” featured in the White House Collection. Eight pieces are permanently in the Sprint Corporate Collection.

In recent years, his works were accepted into other juried shows, including, “Jazz and Mardi Gras”, at the Art of Presentation Gallery, in Pleasanton, California, “Abstractions”, at the Stepping Stone Gallery, in New York, as well as the River Market Regional, curated by Elizabeth Smith, Chief Curator, Chicago Museum of Modern Art. Richard was one of three, monthly Featured Artists, on the nationally known, website, ArtistsRegister.com. Photographic Society of America (PSA) awarded “Autumn Shadows”, “Photograph of the Month. “

In print, his work has been featured in six issues, of Photographic Magazine, and three issues, of Shutterbug Magazine. Shutterbug Magazine, (Vol.33.No.4.Issue.401), showcased seven images, in "Simple Urban Elegance", a feature article, penned by Richard Lotman Brown. Brown's art was juried twice, into the prestigious American Art Collector. Locally, the Kansas City Magazine presented a special, six page photo spread, of Richard's works. Brown's images have, also, been regularly printed in Kansas City's art magazine, Review.

Richard is a past nominee for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award. His works were featured in a special, two-year, exhibit, in Missouri's U.S. Senator's Office. Works are permanently displayed at the trendy new restaurant, The Mixx, in the historic Mutual Musicians Foundation, and throughout the lobbies of Plaza Steppes, One Kansas City Place and 12 Wyandotte.

The Women's Central Exchange of Kansas City, invited Richard to present a solo show, “Insight of the City.” “Shapes of Desire” was the opening display, at the new, Café Trio. The Society of Contemporary Photography, LightBox Gallery, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Gift Shop, the Best of Kansas City and the United Missouri Bank Collection have, all, showcased Richard's art pieces.

His artwork has been featured on posters and tee shirts, promoting the Kansas City Artist Coalition's Annual Fundraiser. Brown is a consistent art donator, to many fund raisers and causes.


(Extended Bio, Kansas City, MO., 2009/2010) The glitz, glamour and excitement of a successful career wheeling and dealing, in the Hollywood entertainment industry - Kansas City native, Richard Lotman Brown, had all that. But now Brown is home, again, pursuing a different dream. This time it is a career in fine art photography.

The glitter gone, replaced by a small, sparsely-furnished studio and private gallery high above Country Club Plaza. His client-list of artists - comedians, actors and writers - has been replaced by just one artist, himself. Brown calls it “an evolution.”

Brown declares, “Now I am able to be the artist, not guide the artist. The dazzle and glory of Hollywood were fun for me and I was lucky to be able to do it. But life says to me now, 'You are planted in Kansas City. How are you going to top that career? How are you going to grow, to discover, to expand?'”

Actually, Brown has had many successful careers. An Ivy League, “drop-out”, at 21, he led a staff of 15 part-time employees, in his party picture business, Smiling Faces, at the University of Kansas. Although not a photojournalism major, Brown also shot action and portrait pictures of the KU basketball, gymnastics, swimming, baseball and track teams which were used by local and national publications.

After graduating, from KU, with a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism, Brown was chosen as the opening exhibit for the National Photo Gallery on the Plaza. Brown went on to earn a Master of Business Administration, from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He worked for 10 years in his family's real estate business obtaining his Broker's license as well as an NASD, “National Association of Security Dealers”, license. He earned numerous real estate honors and awards, for his career achievements, but missed a true sense of “creative fulfillment.”

While still in real estate, he spent years in comedy clubs, performing stand-up comedy and watching and learning from the emerging comedians of the day. In Kansas City, he founded Comedy Arts, an Entertainment Company. The company produced live comedy shows that included such notables as Roseanne [Barr] and Bob Saget. In fact, if you caught Barr on stage early in her career, several of her jokes were written by Brown.

His career in Los Angeles began at UCLA. He studied film and television writing then founded Comedy Arts Management. As a personal manager, Brown guided the careers of comedians. On behalf of his clients, Brown focused the efforts of his clients' numerous agents as well as their accountants, attorneys, publicists, acting coaches, hair and make-up artist and other key, career personnel. To present the company's expanding focus, Comedy Arts Management was changed to C.A. Management & Productions, or CAM&P. The client roster was, then, diversified to include actors, writers and musicians.

Over a ten-year period clients made thousands of appearances in film, television, on radio, in live venues and in print. In its very first year, two CAM&P clients were, simultaneously, selected by NBC, for Exclusive Holding Contracts. Subsequently, clients were contracted for Television Series Options, Screen Tests and Pilots as well as two comedy record deals. Kathy Griffin, costar of Suddenly Susan with Brooke Shields, and star of her own, current show, The D-List, is a former client. After taping fifty-two episodes, client Glen Beaudin became an internationally recognized, emerging actor. The after-school show, in which he starred, was aired daily, in syndication, in eleven countries. His leading role earned Beaudin coverage in twelve teen magazines. Beginning with the Carson years, comedy clients made twenty-five appearances on The Tonight Show. Steve Marmel was a staff writer for two years on the Arsenio Hall Show. Brown's efforts, landed client Chuck Booms a staff writer position for CBS Late Night. Now, Booms is a nationally syndicated radio personality.

“The artists who took time to celebrate each accomplishment, no matter the size, and who also continued to develop, personally and professionally” he said, “continued to be successful.” Brown decided to take his own advice: to continue to evolve and to celebrate the smaller successes in film writing and fine art photography. National exposure of his artwork continues to expand. Hopefully, an eventual opportunity to produce film or more Live entertainment is in his future. He is inspired to do it based in his hometown, Kansas City. “The environment of Kansas City forces you to dig a little deeper and elevate the clarity of your vision,” he said. “Overall, people here still insist, 'Show me.'”

Family ties in Kansas City are a part of the reason Brown decided to move back, but the love of photography and the beauty of his home town were also factors. He had visited home, only a few times, while living in Los Angeles, but he was gradually “seeing Kansas City in a different light. It looked so beautiful that I borrowed a camera and began shooting.” And he hasn't stopped. Much of his work is a tribute to the architecture and the landscape of Kansas City, using lighting and perspective to elevate shadows and details of buildings and nature to fine art. The theme continues with abstract or overlooked views of universal subjects. His venues, now, include California, Florida and Mexico.

As a teen-ager, Brown discovered his passion for photography in a darkroom, at Camp Nebagamon, a summer camp in northwest Wisconsin. A few years later, using a camera on-loan, from the University, he shot his first roll of 35 mm film. A photograph from that first roll received an award in a regional competition.

Each of Brown's photographs carries his signature style: finding simple elegance in perspective otherwise missed. This has become a mantra for the art of his photography as well as the art of his daily life. For years, Brown watched as his artist clients entertained large audiences and gained fame worldwide. Now it is his turn, but on a smaller scale - for now. “Connecting to one person at a time, showing each something that touches them,” Brown said, “is life advancement, from where I was in Los Angeles."