Painter, draughtsman, printmaker and teacher, born in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. He studied at Grimsby School of Art, then Leicester College of Art. He taught mainly in Newark, Nottinghamshire. Brannan was elected RBA in 1960 and was president of Lincolnshire and South Humberside Artists. He showed in mixed exhibitions at RA, NEAC, LG and elsewhere, having a series of solo shows with Trafford Gallery, one at Usher Gallery, Lincoln, 1978, and a retrospective at Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham, in 1995. Usher Gallery, Grundy House Museum in Blackpool and Lincolnshire Education Committee hold his work. Brannan admired the work of French Post-Impressionists, also Cotman and Chardin. Lived in Welbourn, Lincoln.

Text source: 'Artists in Britain Since 1945' by David Buckman (Art Dictionaries Ltd, part of Sansom & Company)

Brannan showed a great admiration for the work of the French Post-Impressionists and also the still-lifes of Chardin. Yet the Lincolnshire landscape held equal appeal as a source of inspiration and throughout his 30 years in Newark Brannan produced numerous paintings of the market town and its people. As art critic Eric Newton observed, “it is evident that Newark is as stimulating to him as Montmartre was to Utrillo.” Courtesy of Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham, Rutland who have several of his paintings.