Campus of Alabama A&M Institute, Huntsville, Alabama

Campus of Alabama A&M Institute, Huntsville, Alabama

Richard Burrell Brough

24 x 30 inches

39

A native of Salmon, Idaho, Brough taught at The University of Alabama from 1948 until 1987. Throughout his 39 years at the university, he combined teaching with a successful career as a commercial artist. He was a talented watercolorist and maintained a private studio in Tuscaloosa until his death. Brough's career as an artist began in earnest during World War II. He served in the Special Services of the U.S. Air Force as an artist. After more than four years in Texas and at the European Theatre, he graduated from Chouinard's Art Institute in Los Angeles, and then trained in San Antonio, Texas, at the Witte Museum and in Paris, France, at the La Grande Chamier. He worked with motion pictures and television, and as a free lance artist. Brough began his career as a graphic design professor at UA by hand-lettering his application. In 1985, he was awarded UA's highest teaching honor, the Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award, after 37 years of service. He was nominated for the award by former students, many of whom described him in nominating letters as “the best teacher I've ever had.” For 15 years, Brough also commuted to Birmingham to teach classes in watercolors for the University Center Continuing Education Program. In 1992, the Society for the Fine Arts at The University of Alabama presented Brough with its Distinguished Career Award, and, in 1993, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from The University of Alabama in recognition of his remarkable career in teaching and commercial art. A widely collected watercolorist, Brough exhibited his work internationally with more than 100 one-man shows. His paintings were shown in the New York World's Fair, in the Far East as part of a traveling art exhibit of the U.S. Information Agency, and were selected for exhibition by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In 1995 Brough participated in the inaugural Alabama Artist Outdoor Exhibition, which featured his work on a billboard. Brough's illustrations appeared in American Artist Magazine and “World Book Encyclopedia.” More than 200 of his watercolors appeared in Ford Times Magazine. His paintings are well known for capturing the nuances of scenes from his extensive travels to Central America, South America, Italy, China and Malaysia. Brough’s wife Hazel is also a widely exhibited watercolorist

WSPAC - Ford Times Collection

Watercolor

Ford Motor Company