Oscar Brown was born in Brooklyn in 1933. Brown began attending a mental health outpatient clinic around 1985. His prior history is unclear, but Brown's home life was very full. He resided with his mother and had a large and close knit extended family. Brown was particularly close to his sister. In accord with his wishes, and his interest in the South, his family arranged his burial in North Carolina.

It was through an HAI workshop that his style of painting and use of metallic markers and Caran D'Ache crayons developed. Brown's style is at its best when using black paper with watercolor and embellished with gold or silver metallic ink markers. Most of his work is abstract. In his figurative paintings, birdsor African faces were his preferred subjects. Brown always attributed representational meaning to evenhis most abstract works. Brown was energetic and devoted to making art. He painted every day - in HAI Workshops or at home. In good weather, he could be found sketching in the park.