Meet Chris Brown | Publisher, Designer & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris, what do you attribute your success to?
I’d have to say that the most important factor or success behind any brand is staying true to your gut. This is especially true with what I always try to achieve with Refueled and the many entities that fall under the brand. Stay the course with your vision. A creative starts at the bottom of a circle, gains experience and moves through an education of their craft. It’s when you move beyond that and start going back down the circle, forgetting everything that you’ve learned, that you come back to a place where you’re trusting your instincts, and your unconscious voice.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I came of age in the “cultural decade” of the 1960s – in particular the era-defining large format photojournalism of LIFE and probing satire of MAD. The 1960s saw the rise of a movement which re-shaped and created a new aesthetic language and styles in art. Names like Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, and Andy Walhol defined Pop – fusing life and art. On the other hand, artists such as Donald Judd, Sol LeWitt, and Joseph Kosuth reshaped the notion of the object and material. Coming from a small town in Southeast Texas my only creative influences and access to art was almost exclusively old back issues of magazines. My aesthetic could be described as wabi-sari – clean, simple and imperfect. Whether publishing an issue of Refueled, designing a collection for Refueled Heritage Co, creating a campaign with Refueled Creative or working on an art series – beauty and dirt is always what I strive for.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Eat: Deep Sushi, Uchi, Chop House Burger. Drink: Armoury D.E. Visit: The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and Dallas Museum of Art

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I truly have to give my parents a great deal of credit for their support growing up. Both were very hard working passionate people, and were hugely involved in my creative growth. Their encouragement and enthusiastic personalities helped shape who I am today. They continuously taught a strict work ethic. One where if you wanted something in this life, it could be achieved through hard work, persistence, and dedication. That very simple lesson has carried me through my whole life.

Website: refueledmagazine.com
Instagram: instagram.com/refueledmagazine

Image Credits
Chris Brown portrait by Steven Visneau