Brian Keeler

Brian Keeler, born in 1953, is the son of a painter and newspaper editor, the late William Keeler of Wyalusing. It is from his father that the initial interest in painting was started for Brian.

Brian received his art education with studio and art history courses at Keystone Junior College, located near Scranton, PA. He continued his education at the York Academy of Arts in York, PA, and graduated from there in 1975. The York Academy is where traditional landscape, portraiture and figure painting were first studied. It was also during the time in York that an interest in the street scene painters known as the Eight, a group of American realist painters, was first sparked.

Continuing with that interest in genre painting, Brian Keeler's work has explored the life of everyday America with a uniquely contemporary approach. As well as the more academic style, there is also a body of work by the artist comprised of pieces in an imaginative and whimsical nature, which is characterized by thought-provoking surreal imagery.

The artist's work has appeared in many national and regional exhibits including the Cooperstown National, The Chautauqua National, and the Pastel Society of America (PSA) open exhibit. After being in four consecutive PSA shows, he was accepted as a full member of that organization in 1990. In August of 1990, a painting was selected by American Artist Magazine as a winner in a contest called "Preserving Our Natural Resources." That oil painting, a triptych view of the Susquehanna River was reproduced along with the other finalists in American Artist Magazine.

The September 1992 issue of American Artist Magazine featured a pastel painting by Brian Keeler on the cover of that issue. An article in that issue described Keeler's working methods and philosophy and was accompanied by examples of paintings.

Subsequent training in painting has been gleaned at workshops given by three contemporary realists who are also known for their portrait work. These artists are Daniel Green, Albert Handell, and John Sanden.

On occasion Brian conducts his own workshops in oil and pastel painting and periodically is requested by regional art clubs to give slide presentations an portrait demonstrations.