Brechin was born in New London and spent summers of his childhood roaming the beach between Harkness and the Seaside. At the age of sixteen, he left school to live and work in the bohemian atmosphere of Greenwich Village. He hitch-hiked across the US and Mexico riding 1,000 miles through the southwest in railroad boxcars. He crewed on a Brixham trawler in the Virgin Islands. Returning home, he studied painting at Silvermine College of Art with professors trained at Yale in the tradition of Albers and the Black Mountain College. After Art School, to support a growing family, he opened a sign company in South Norwalk during which time he painted many large outdoor murals and billboards. In 1998 Brechin fulfilled a lifelong dream sailing alone from Block Island around the world spending four and a half years on his 27 foot cutter “Otter”.

   After sailing 32,000 miles and visiting 32 countries, he returned to Block Island becoming the 232nd solo circumnavigator since Joshua Slocum. It earned him the Golden Circle Award from the Joshua Slocum Society. Brechin set up a studio in Bridgeport where much of his work is drawn from the sketchbooks kept during the voyage. He continues to cruise the New England coast in summer, sampling lobster rolls with his wife Sandy in every port.

Brechin on Otter in North Minerva Reef / photo

  He has had numerous one person shows including the Greene Gallery, Guilford / Southport Gallery, Southport / Haviland Street Gallery, SoNo / Axel Gallery, Norwalk / and the Unison Arts Center – New Paltz. He has shown in The International Show at the Marine Art Gallery at Mystic Seaport. One of his paintings was selectedfor the ASMA 17th Marine Art Exhibit now touring five museums.

Joan McAllister
Acrylic 36x35

At the Edge of the Sea Mohegan Bluffs
Acrylic 30x30

Oyster Boat Working off Milford
Acrylic 30x40

Afteroon Light Tug Resting
Acrylic 30x30

Winter Ice at Talmadge Bros. Dock

Maine Lobster Boat in Fog
Acrylic 30x30x