Don Brown, Fort Collins Artist: 1971-1978

Donald Brown at his desk
in Barbados

In 1971, the Browns moved to Ibiza, an island off the coast of Spain and he continued to work as a freelance artist. They lived there for about a year before moving back to Fort Collins and joining the Peace Corps. Don was already 53, and Mid was in her late 40s. Their first assignment was Barbados, where the Peace Corps employed Don as an illustrator. He worked for the Barbados Ministry of Education, where he made illustrations for a book on local flora.

The Browns seem to have truly loved their time on Barbados. The majority of the Brown's photograph collection of the Peace Corps period are of Barbados. There are pictures of them by themselves or with friends; and in all of the pictures, the Browns are smiling.

After their time in Barbados, ending in 1974, the Browns were sent to Santiago, Chile. From there to Puntas Arenas, an area in the far south of Chile (one of the country's closest towns to Antarctica). In Puntas Arenas, Don illustrated a book on local bird wildlife for the Institute of Patagonia. Instead of just illustrating select plates, as he had done for the previous book, he was responsible for all of the illustrations. He used detailed photographs to accurately draw the birds. By 1978, the Browns had left the Peace Corps and returned to Fort Collins.