Brown received his formal art training at the University of South Florida. In 1953, he became the Promotion Art Director at TV Guide Magazine where he worked until 1983. In addition to his work at TV Guide, he also pursued his own personal artistic endeavors with exhibitions in Philadelphia and the Tampa Bay area. After his retirement, John returned to Florida. He had a studio at ArtSpace from 1987 until his death. He enjoyed painting the local flora and Florida landscapes. His work can be found in many prestigious corporate and private collections. When he died in the mid-1990s, John had a tremendous volume of work both in his studio and in his home. John’s family donated his artwork to Artspace, and Bill Killingsworth, Interim Director of the Arts Center, decided to give it to the Center to sell. Part of the proceeds went to rehab the current building and some was to be set up as an annual award in John’s memory, which is given to a painter every year in the Morean’s members show.