
Brendan Killian
Jamaica Plain, MA
About the Artist
I began painting sheep 20 years ago during an artist’s residency in Vermont. This work marked a huge departure from my previous work, inspired by both the pastoral setting as well as the changes I was experiencing on a personal level. Although I’ve moved on to other subject matter since, (horses, rabbits and various other real and imagined creatures), like a shepherd, the sheep continue to lure me back, and I always feel obliged to answer they’re call. In a general sense, the sheep serve as a visual metaphor to explore issues of sacrifice and spiritual transformation. Not unlike they’re rol…
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Join NowAbout the Artist
I began painting sheep 20 years ago during an artist’s residency in Vermont. This work marked a huge departure from my previous work, inspired by both the pastoral setting as well as the changes I was experiencing on a personal level. Although I’ve moved on to other subject matter since, (horses, rabbits and various other real and imagined creatures), like a shepherd, the sheep continue to lure me back, and I always feel obliged to answer they’re call. In a general sense, the sheep serve as a visual metaphor to explore issues of sacrifice and spiritual transformation. Not unlike they’re roll in Christian iconography. On a more personal level, they embody a faith in the future, hence my choice of title; “Response”. Likewise, the other animals in my repertoire inhabit another emotional landscape charged with the vernacular that best describes my current perception of reality.
Artist’s Work











Selected Exhibitions
- "The Haven"
Jamaica Plain, MA, 2020 - South Shore Arts Center
Cohassett, MA, 2003 - "Works on Paper"
Boston, MA, 2003 - AAF Art Fair
New York, NY, 2003 - Perrin Gallery
Brookline, MA, 2003
Education
- Iowa State University, Bachelor of Fine Arts
Ames, IA,1984