Keiran Brennan Hinton

Keiran Brennan Hinton (b. 1992, Toronto) lives and works in Elgin, Canada and the Bronx, New York. He received his BFA from Pratt Institute in 2014 and his MFA from Yale University in 2016. The principal focuses of Brennan Hinton’s practice include the formal painting process; the act of observation; reflections of domestic intimacy; the plein-air discipline; and interiority. In terms of finding beauty in the mundane, the moments that compel him to choose a particular painting subject are fueled by feeling but often incidentally rooted in parallels with specific art historical references. Brennan Hinton’s practice relies on ‘felt space’ rather than learned linear perspective or the prioritization of technical accuracy. He describes his formal process as such: “I paint from observation. I start with a limited palette, mixing the colors specifically from life, paying attention to the temperature of the light or saturation of a shadow. I am interested in capturing tactility and texture; how the limited range of textures available in a brushstroke can articulate different senses. The evidence of my process—paintstrokes and removal—remain visible in the final painting. The medium of painting, both the history and process, is primary to my practice; the subject of the work is often secondary. Painting, for me, is an exercise in patience and concentration, which requires a willingness to be surprised. It is about looking without assuming or generalizing. It is an invitation to linger on everyday life and to become aware of the details that previously blended into the surroundings.” Photo Credit: Elizabeth Brooks.