Paul H. Brand

About your instructor: Paul is a self-taught professional artist and has been teaching painting (watercolor, pastel, and oils) at the Toledo Museum of Art since 1995, and at the Toledo Artists’ Club and Art Supply Depo.  He has participated in many painting workshops and classes presented by Ed Whitney, Fred Graff, Walter Chapman and Frank Webb between 1970 and 2023.  Paul also has a PhD in Physiology from the University of Rochester and served as a professor and researcher at the College of Medicine, University of Toledo, from 1975 to 2012.

Paul has won more than 30 awards at the Crosby Festival of the Arts, Art on the Mall, University of Toledo, the Parkwood Gallery, Toledo, and at the Toledo Artists’ Club. His paintings have been accepted in competitive exhibitions, including at the Community Gallery of the Toledo Museum of Art, the Ohio Watercolor Society Annual, the Ohio Art League Fall Juried Show, Columbus, Ohio, the Fine Arts exhibit, Professional Level at the Ohio State Fair, Columbus, Ohio, the TFAS100 +5 exhibit, Toledo,  The Ohio State University at Mansfield, Ohio, the Great Lakes Pastel Society Annual, Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Findlay Art League, Findlay, Ohio, and the Wassenberg Art Center June Art Exhibit, Van Wert, Ohio. His paintings are in the permanent collection at the University of Tiffin and at Stark State College, North Canton, Ohio. He is represented by the Collector’s Corner at the Toledo Museum of Art, 20 North Gallery, Toledo, and the Gutman Gallery, Ann Arbor.Paul was invited to jury two-dimensional work for the 47th Annual Crosby Festival of the Arts in 2012, and juried awards for the eighth Annual Levis Commons Fine Art Fair in 2012 in Perrysburg, Ohio, the Fine Arts show at the 2019, 2021 and 2023 Fulton County fair, and the 2013 Findlay Art League May Show.

Artist’s Statement: I paint and draw for the pleasure of putting color on paper, and to create paintings that stand out because they fuse realistic images and strong abstract designs. I place dark and light shapes next to each other along with intense color. This grouping creates a design that draws the viewer’s eye. I work in watercolor, pastels, acrylic and charcoal, applying the same design principles in each medium.

Paul’s teaching philosophy:  My teaching style evolved from 30 years of teaching bright, articulate, challenging medical students, as well as friendly, respectful art students at the museum and the Toledo Artists’ Club. I work with students as individuals, usually in small groups in my art classes. A common vein in my classes in any medium is to emphasize simple, direct principles to improve composition and  color harmony, and to encourage imagination. I introduce a limited color palette, demonstrate frequently and work individually with each student.