Carolyn Brown
As a little girl, I photographed the daily life of my dog using a Brownie Hawkeye camera. Ten years later, I studied ceramics and sculpture and photographed my pots for my thesis.
In the 1970s when I studied Islamic Art and Architecture at Cairo American University, I photographed the Fatimid and Mameluke mosques throughout Old Cairo. Although my background
was studio arts and art history, photography magically linked my background experiences and talents–and photography has been my life and passion. I returned to the Middle East often
to photograph the ancient cities and sites of antiquity.
Nearer to my home, I began traveling south of the border to photograph in Mexico and Central America. This work became a blockbuster show called “Sacred Space: Man and the Divine in
Mexico, Guatemala and Southwestern United States”, curated by Dr. Richard Brettell in 2000. In more recent years, my work has grown to include various cultural, natural and architectural sites
in Texas such Texas A&M University campus, Caddo Lake, the Fort Worth Stockyards, Dallas and Fair Park – all of which are subjects of my books.
My photographs have been exhibited many times in Dallas and Texas, and across the US and Mexico. I am currently collaborating with the O’Donnell Institute at UTD and DMA to digitize this archive
to make it accessible online.
My photographs may be seen at the Craighead Green Gallery in Dallas.
Education
Graduate: Art History, Center of Arabic Studies, Cairo American University, Egypt
MA Studio Arts: Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX
BA Art Education, Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, IA
Corporate Collections (Selected)
Edith O’Donnell Art History Institute: Dallas Museum of Art, University of Texas Dallas
Houston Museum of Fine Arts
Dallas Omni Hotels
Marriott Hotels
Frito Lay and Pepsico Corporate
BNSF and BNSF Heritage Hall
University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
Hicks Muse Tate and Furst Mexico City
JC Penney Corporate
GTE Corporate
Texas Instruments Corporate
Fina Corporate
Pfizer Headquarters New York
Discovery Channel
The Communities Foundation Dallas
Hunt Oil Company
Dillon Gage Dallas
Woodbine Corporation
Patrón Tequila
Book Projects
Dallas: A Texas Star: TCU Press, Fort Worth, Texas, 2022
Historic Fort Worth Stockyards: The Story in Words and Photographs with writer J’Nell Pate Barnes Texas A&M Press, College Station, 2022
Architecture Speaks: The Legacy of SCP Vosper, Texas A&M University 1928-1932, with David Woodcock FAIA and Nancy McCoy FAIA, TAMU Press, College Station, Texas, 2017
Dallas Fair Park: Art Deco Forever: Photographs of Fair Park, Dallas, Texas, 2017
Dallas Fair Park: Art Deco Forever: Photographs of Fair Park, Dallas, Texas, 2017
The Painted Tombs of Swift. Photographs of the Swift Plant in Fort Worth, Texas, 2016
Visions of a Southern Cypress Lake, co-authored with Thad Sitton, Texas River Systems, A&M Press, 2015
Dallas: Portrait of a City, Lightwave Productions, 2014
Crafting Traditions: the Architecture of Mark Lemmon, photographs for Exhibition Meadows Museum, SMU, Dallas TX, 2005
Dallas: Where Dreams Come True, Verve Editions, 2004
Dynamic Dallas, contemporary photographs, Darwin Payne, author, Heritage Press, 2002
Dallas: World Class Texas, co-authored with Mayor Annette Strauss, Towery Press, 1997
Houston: Simply Spectacular, selected photographs, Towery Press, 1995
Dallas: Shining Star of Texas, co-authored with Jim Donovan, Voyageur Press, 1994
Aswan and Abu Simbel, photographs for book Jill Kamil, author, AUC Press, Cairo, 1990
Upper Egypt, photographs for book Jill Kamil, author, Longman Press of England, 1989
One Person Exhibitions, Installations, Awards (selected)
2024: IN FINE FEATHER: Crow Museum at UTD
2024: TRAVELS WITH CAROLYN: Jesuit Dallas Museum: Elizabeth Hunt Blanc Curator
2023: BLOOM: Giant floral pieces at Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX
BIRDSCAPES: Degas Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
2021: Palmyra, Syria with Dr, Michael Thomas, Director Edith ODIAH: Crow Museum Asian Art, Dallas
2020: Gift of twenty framed photographs from Michoacán to the Mexican Consulate, Dallas and Mexico City
2019: Cowboy Diaries: The Fort Worth Stockyards Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX
Carolyn Brown Retrospective: University of Texas at Dallas: Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History
2018: Visions of Mexico: Consulate General of Mexico in Dallas, Texas
2017: Award for Excellence in Community Service: Creative. Dallas Historical Society, Dallas, TX
Exhibition of the Painted Tombs of Swift: Craighead Green Gallery
Building A&M College of Texas: The Legacy of SCP Vosper Exhibition, Texas A&M University
2016: East Texas Historical Association: Visions of a Southern Cypress Lake: Best Mixed Media Artistic Book
The Tiled Churches of Puebla, Mexico: The Dallas Museum of Art, Edith O’Donnell Art History Institute, Founding Director Dr. Richard Brettell
A Garden of Delight: The Golden Age of Iznik Tiles of Turkey: St. Matthews Cathedral Gallery
Istanbul: Sensations of Light Islamic Da’wah Center, Houston, Texas
Istanbul: Sensations of Light Photographic Exhibition, the Embassy of Turkey, Washington, D.C.
2015: Ancient Middle East in Photography: Dallas Museum of Art: The Edith O’Donnell Art History Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Founding Director: Dr. Richard Brettell
2014: Baroque Mexico: Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, University of Texas, Austin, TX
Flowers: Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX
2013: AIA Artist/Craftsman Award
The Painted Ceilings of Michoacán: with Richard Perry, St. Matthews Cathedral, Dallas
2012: Nature Photographs: Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas TX
Mexico and Guatemala: Photographs for Sacred Space: Bath House Cultural Center, Dallas, TX
2011: Black and White Spider Award: Architecture and Nature
2010: The Painted Ceilings of Michoacán: with Richard Perry, Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe, Dallas
Dialogues: Where Iberia and the New World Meet: Photographs of Mexico, Spain and Portugal, John Lunsford, curator, Afterimage Gallery, Dallas, TX
Black and White Spider Award: Architecture
2009: The Secret Life of Flowers: Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, TX
Paradise Gardens of State Thomas: 12-foot Ceramic Wall installation, City of Dallas Public Art
University of Texas Southwestern Medical new offices: Numerous permanent installations
2008: Black and White Spider Award: Nature, Merit of Excellence
Painting God’s House: The Folk Baroque Churches of Mexico: Exhibition at Cornell College, IA.
Photographic Mural Installation: The Mayor’s Office, City Hall, Dallas
2007: Dallas: 50 Photographs, permanent installation, Gulf States Loft, Dallas
Nature: 50 photographs, Out-Patient Building, UTSW Medical School
2006: Dallas, Where Milestones are Momentous: Offices of Fulbright Jaworski LLP: 25th Anniversary
The Architecture of Mark Lemmon: Lee Park & Arlington Hall Conservancy
Dallas: Where Dreams Come True: Exhibition and Book Signing: Afterimage Gallery
Southwestern Landscapes: The Clements Center, UT Southwestern Medical School, Dallas
2005: Dallas: St. Paul Café, Southwestern USA: Boone Pickens Bio Medical Research Building, Dallas
Then and Now: Board Room Installation, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
Crafting Traditions: The Architecture of Mark Lemmon: Exhibition and book, Meadows Museum, SMU, Dallas, TX, Dr. Richard R. Brettell and Willis C. Winters FAIA, curators
2003: Photographs of Yemen: World Bank, Washington, DC, Smithsonian Institute
2000: Sacred Space, Man and the Divine in Mexico, Guatemala and Southwestern United States, Richard Brettell Curator, Gary Cunningham Architect, sponsored by the Institute for the Study of Earth and Man, the Dallas Historical Society and El Instituto Mexicano de Cooperación Internacional, Mexico City, Hall of State
The Color of Spirit, Photographs of Mexico and Guatemala, Afterimage Gallery
The Spirit of Life, photos of Mexico and Guatemala, Goldsberry Gallery, International Fotofest, Houston
1999: Photographs of Mexico, International Festival of San Luis Potosi, Mexico
1997: Crossed Parallels: Journey Through Light and Time: Photographic Archives Gallery, Dallas, TX
1989: The Shape of Light: Mural photographs from ancient Egypt, simultaneous with Ramses the Great Exhibit at Dallas Museum of Art, with architect Philip Henderson, Dallas Public Library
Group Exhibitions and Museum Presentations
2021: Preservation is the Art of The City: Fort Worth, Texas
2018: The Human Experience: Through the Lens of Three Women: Islamic Revival Series, Eismann Center for Performing Arts, Richardson, Texas
2016 Contemporary Islamic Art: Juried Exhibition at Irving Art Center, Irving, TX
2015: International Exhibition of Contemporary Islamic Art, LuinArté Gallery, Dallas, TX
2012: Die Brucke: Common Bond Former Students of J. Brough Miller, Collin County College
2011: Models of Public Art, Latino Cultural Center, Dallas, TX
2007: Permanent Installation: The Communities Foundation, Dallas, TX
2006: Hatshepsut: from Queen to Pharaoh, Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, TX
Lords of Creation: The Origin of Sacred Maya Kings, Dallas Museum of Art
Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt, Frist Center for Visual Arts, Nashville, TN
Treasures of Ancient Egypt: The Quest for Immortality, Van Andel Museum Center, Michigan
1998: Contemporary American Photography, University of Cordoba, Spain
1997: Three Great Egyptian Ladies: The Giza Pyramids through History of Photography, exhibition and book, Musee de la Photographie, Charleroi, Belgium, France, Japan, USA
1996: 8×10 Contemporary American Photographers, Godwin-Ternbach Museum, New York
1995: Reverberations: Diptychs and Triptychs, Southeast Museum of Photography, Florida
1994: Ancient Worlds, Two-person exhibit, Artables Gallery, Houston TX
Transco Tower Photographs, International Fotofest, Houston, TX
1993: Recent Acquisitions: Mundy and Willout Collections, Houston Museum of Fine Arts
Travel Grants
2015: Turkey: Official guest of the Turkish Consulate Houston and Turkish Embassy, Office of the
Counselor for Cultural Affairs and Promotion, Washington DC
2008-9: Michoacán, Mexico: Official Guest of Michoacán, Mexican Government Department of Tourism
2005: Zacatecas, Mexico: Official Guest of Zacatecas, Mexican Government Department of Tourism
1997: Central Mexico, Yucatan and Chiapas: Official guest of the Mexican Government of
Michoacán, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi
1995: Lebanon: Official guest of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri of Lebanon
Syria: Official guest of the Cham Palace Hotels and Arab Republic of Syria
1991: Iraq: Official guest of Saddam Hussein by the Ministry of Culture and Information of Iraq
Rwanda: Official guest of the Government of Rwanda
Presentations, Workshops Directed and Exhibits Curated
2024: Places of Prayer: Photographs by eight photographers: Justus Sunderman Gallery, Saint Matthews Cathedral, Dallas City Hall Lobby and Ad Ex Dallas
2023: Bloom: Talk at Craighead Green: Art Tour
2022: Historic Fort Worth Stockyards: Presentation: Woman’s Club of Fort Worth and North Fort Worth Historical Society
2020: Preservation Achievement Award: Craftsmanship
Inspiration and What it Means: Dallas Art Club
2019: The Work of Charles Dilbeck: Workshop Leader, with exhibit at Dallas Center for Architecture
Workshop Revival of Eight Photographers: Lucas Antiques, Dallas, Texas
Inspiration and What It Means: Presentation Dallas Camera Club, Dallas, Texas
Dallas: Portrait of a City: Presentation at the International Club, Dallas, Texas
Cantey Lecture: Historic Fort Worth—Review of Life Work
2016: Istanbul: Sensations of Light at the Edith O’Donnell Art History Institute, Dallas Museum of Art, Embassy of Turkey, Washington, D.C.
Historic Dallas Through Photography: Workshop and Exhibition for photographers, exhibition at St. Matthews Cathedral, Dallas, TX
2015: Architectural Photography by Three Photographers at Dallas Center of Architecture
Dallas: Portrait of a City: Presentations/book signings at Park Cities Club, Shakespeare Club, Dallas Historical Society, Dallas Institute of Humanities, Women’s Council at Dallas Arboretum
Visions of a Southern Cypress Lake, co-authored with Thad Sitton: Marshall Public Library
2014: Caddo Lake Photographic Workshop Instructor, October 2014
2012: A Vision Realized: Dallas Arts District: Instructor-Curator, Guadalupe Cathedral, Dallas TX
2020: Art, Architecture and Abstraction: Workshop and exhibition, Dallas Institute of Humanities
2006: Creating a Body of Work: Highland Park High School Literary Festival, Dallas, TX
2001: Dallas: City of Splendid Realities: Architectural photography, workshop, Hall of State, Dallas
Fiesta! Photographs by thirteen photographers of State Fair of Texas, sponsored by the State Fair of Texas, workshop leader and curator, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Cathedral, Dallas, TX
2000: Fair Park Renaissance: Architectural Photography of Fair Park, workshop leader: Sharp Gallery, Hall of State, Dallas TX
Regarding Photography in Egypt: 150 years, the Design, the Light, the Magic, Presentation for American Research Center of Egypt, Cairo, Egypt