Browne’s art covers and walks around MHCC

Seven-panel mural by Browne outside of Visual Arts building 22 at MHCC

Miles Browne

Did you know Mt. Hood’s Visual Arts Gallery coordinator is also a tattoo artist?

Miles Browne is a former MHCC student who just never left. The versatile artist was locally grown, graduating from Sam Barlow High School in 2003, and chose to attend MHCC because “it was close and conventional,” he said. Originally, he planned to pursue a computer science degree, but after a few courses he decided he hated computers.

About that time, Browne took his first art class at Mt. Hood – print making. After 4 years at the college, he had found his passion for art and continued school part-time. In one of his painting classes, he met a local tattoo artist, Ben Berry. Berry enjoyed and bought many of Browne’s paintings and as the two artists got to know each other, Berry asked Browne about tattooing.

“If I was going to [start tattooing], I was going to with him,” Browne recalled years later. Browne transferred in 2008 to the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) studying general fine arts, and finished his schooling in 2010.

Two years ago, he decided to take Berry up on his offer by starting as an apprentice and working his way up to an artist at the House of Tattoo in Gresham, on Burnside heading east right past Powell. He has been working at the shop for about two years now, and has become a known local artist in the trade.

Browne said his favorite part of being an artist is the freedom to discover and immerse himself in art. With his two jobs in the art field, he is able to do that and express his creativity.

At Mt. Hood, Browne’s role is to place art pieces and in a way, to host events.

A campus regular can find many of Browne’s paintings on public display. One of his most prominent works is outside the MHCC Library: A buck, blue heron and sturgeon surround a huge

Mural by Browne outside of MHCC library

Mount Hood, on a mural that spreads across the wall. Another vivid piece is on the kiln barn next to V6 ?. The four-piece painting is a series that contains three-dimensional shapes that seem to be in motion. One can find many more of Brownes paintings around the art building on doors and wood panels.

Browne has other art works spread across MHCC and Gresham. On the outside of the House of Tattoo, is his three-piece painting of a woman, and the shop is filled with many of his pieces inside. Browne’s paintings can all be identified by his signature, reading “Miles” with a large “M” and a trailing “S.”

Of course, with his tattoo work, many of Browne’s artworks are unsigned and walking around all of Gresham – on the arms and backs of friends and strangers.

Check out Miles Browne’s website: www.milesbrowne.com

Advocate Staff