In the unlikely event that you haven't formally met Terry Brett, his name still might sound familiar. A native of St. Petersburg, a graduate of Eckerd College, and the owner of Brett Funeral Home, Terry and his family are certainly an important part of the fabric of this city. He has spent many years as a civic leader and served as a trustee of St. Petersburg College and chairman of the board of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, the Morean Arts Center/Chihuly Collection, and Leadership St. Pete.

 

Brett comes from a family of artists. Both his grandmother Ruth Willbrand and mother Gail Willbrand Brett were accomplished painters, and Terry studied with Melissa Christiano and Luis de la Lama. His earlier work, which was exhibited by Leslie Curran in 2011, focused on impressionistic urban cityscapes. Terry’s more recent large abstract paintings are influenced by Franz Kline, Willem deKooning, and Mark Rothko. His large black and white compositions, which have a remarkable immediacy and power, feel simultaneously ultra modern and timeless.