Through oil painting, this artist
discovered a forgiving and freeing
way to create.
With her love of painting, it’s fitting that artist Veronica Brown’s last name is also the name of a color. Though she never considered herself an artist growing up, Veronica was always creating, whether as a child doodling with markers or, later on, mastering her medium of choice: oil painting.
In high school, she tried painting with acrylic paints, but they didn’t particularly interest her. She never owned the proper painting tools and had never taken a proper painting class.
But after picking up a book that was on sale by artist Dorothy Dent (a famous painting instructor) and signing up for a painting class, Veronica unexpectedly found her life’s passion. In Sullivan, where Veronica now lives, she still has her painting from that first class.
“It is of a mountain scene with a little stream in front of it, and it’s as the sun’s setting behind the mountains,” Veronica explains.
To this day, this painting still holds a special place in her heart because, as she recalls, she was shocked when it turned out much better than expected. From there, she was hooked.
Veronica turned her passion into a full-time career as a painter in 2020, working out of her studio and painting outdoors. In between crafting with her nephews and working on her painting skills, Veronica has carved out a niche for herself in the art world.
Veronica says that if you ask anyone about her art that knows her well, they will probably say that she paints horses. Horses as her muse stems back to helping her grandpa as a child on his farm. When she was young, she spent hours on the backs of horses alongside family and friends.
When Veronica paints—whether her subject is horses or something else—a similar method
prevails. Her first step is to add a wash to the background, and then she forms the basic shapes. Sometimes it takes multiple tries to get the shaping just right. Veronica explains that the beauty of oil paint is that it can be wiped off if it is not quite right, and she can start again.
“I always joke that I am a lazy painter,” Veronica laughs. “It is not true necessarily; I just do not do all of the prep work that some artists do.” She describes her art process as “immediate,” and notes that working with oil paint supports her relaxed process because it’s easy to layer.
Though she believes painting can be a relaxed process, Veronica emphasizes that acting on your passion should not be. “Work at it. Show up,” she says. “Most days, I am painting every single day. Even if the painting is awful, it is still the process. You are still going through the process, and you are learning and strengthening your skills.”
The Best of Missouri Hands is a 500-member nonprofit dedicated to developing and recognizing Missouri artists and artisans.
“Interaction, Education, & Encouragement”
BestOfMissouriHands.org
All photos courtesy of Veronica Brown.
This article was originally printed in the February 2026 issue of Missouri Life.
