About Brent Noel

My full name is Brent Noel Eviston. If you happen to know me or my work, it is most likely as Brent Eviston, the creator of The Art & Science of Drawing series; a collection of online courses that teach traditional drawing and figure drawing. While traditional drawing has been my primary professional focus, I also create more experimental, drawing-based work. 

My fascination with experimental drawing has run parallel to my traditional work for more than 2 decades. I am deeply passionate about traditional drawing, however it can be limiting as a way to explore meaning. Traditional drawing focuses on the world of physical objects and is beholden to Newtonian physics, proper perspective and accurate anatomy. Experimental art is freed from these conventions and therefore better suited to explore meaning, metaphor and the realm of the mind. 

I have chosen to create this work under the name Brent Noel (my first and middle name), instead of Brent Eviston (my first and last name) for two reasons. The first is because my traditional work and my experimental work require completely different methods and mindsets. It feels like I take on a different persona for each type of work. Brent Eviston is the traditional draftsman. Brent Noel is the experimental maker. Keeping these two personas distinct in my mind helps me focus on the task at hand. 

The second reason I choose to make this work under the name Brent Noel is to have a place to explore and experiment out of the direct view of my traditional drawing students. I want the ability to work with subjects and themes that are unorthodox or even taboo. The work on this site is not intended to be beautiful or uplifting (although hopefully it occasionally is).  This work is intended to challenge viewers and to inspire them to reflect upon the contents and processes within their own minds.  My hope is that this work connects with individuals interested in searching for meaning. 

My experimental work has largely stayed out of the spotlight, but as I have continued to make it, more and more people report finding it interesting or meaningful so I have decided to give it a home and to share it with a larger audience.