Brent Medlock

Brent Medlock spent years on the line in busy kitchens before he picked up a palette knife, and the habits came with him: work fast, commit to the move, and don’t overthink a plate once it’s ready to go out. A Columbus State graduate in Culinary Arts who later sharpened his eye in painting workshops at CCAD, he still paints the way a good cook works a rush, with confidence, economy, and an honest sense of when something is done. He lives and paints in Columbus, Ohio.

Brent works in heavy-body oil mixed with cold wax, laying down color with a big knife in thick, decisive passes. His favorite subjects are dogs, caught in one good sweep at the ears before he steps back, and chickens, which he admits took a while to figure out and which still look a little annoyed, just like the real ones. The results sit between modern and expressionist painting: textured, loose, and full of personality. His canvases bring warmth and humor to kitchens, breakfast nooks, mudrooms, entryways, and family rooms, anywhere a little character feels at home. Below are Medlock’s canvases in our shop, ready to hang.