Brett KILROE

KILROE, Brett Robinson
Brett Robinson Kilroe, 45, of New York, NY passed away on Thursday, March 24, 2016 after a courageous battle with cancer. Brett spent half his life working with some of the world's most talented musicians and, fittingly, was listening to close friends sing, "Two Of Us" by The Beatles, when he passed. Born October 22, 1970 in Calgary, Alberta, Brett was the second son of Jack and Cleo Kilroe and younger brother of Kent Kilroe.
Brett had a lifelong love of art and music and, after graduating from the Alberta College of Art and Design in 1993, moved to New York City where he attended the School of Visual Arts for a year of Directed Studies. He later taught at SVA and did so until he was in the hospital early this year. Though he showed flashes of brilliance during his 4 years at ACAD, his extraordinary talent didn't fully reveal itself until he moved to New York and began designing album packaging for some of the world's most successful musicians. Over the course of the next 20 years, many of which were spent at RCA Records. Brett expanded his work into multiple mediums and did some of his best work with seminal rock bands including The Strokes and Kings Of Leon.
Despite his impressive body of work, Brett was not defined solely by his art. Perhaps Brett's greatest talent, and what made him a unicorn, was his natural ability to identify and bring out the best in others, professionally and personally. He had the rare gift of meeting a person and instantly making them feel important, loved and welcome.
Befitting someone of his creativity and repute, no mention of Brett's life would be complete without a note on his personal style. His protestations to the contrary, Brett took quiet pride in creating a fashion style that can best be described as "high-end homeless." His collection of vintage concert t-shirts was incredible and he may be the only person in history to successfully combine a ratty, sleeveless jean jacket over top an equally ratty leather jacket into a "garment" that was certainly more than the sum of its parts.
Thanks to the support of friends and family, Brett was blessed to have been under the care of Dr. Nancy Kemeny and her amazing team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, for the past 4 ½ years. Dr. Kemeny is something of a unicorn herself and, as I'm sure she would agree, she and Brett were blessed to have known one another.
Brett is survived by his mother, Cleo Kilroe; his older brother, Kent; his nephews Declan, Nathan, Bowie and Asher and his sister-in-law Katia. Brett's spirit, talent and body of work will be celebrated with a memorial on June 18, 2016 at the Alberta College of Art and Design, 1407 14th Ave N.W. Memorial will be 3-6 p.m. with the gallery remaining open until 9 p.m. to view on June 18 and from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. June 19.
His friends were boundless, his impact was immeasurable and his loss is devastating. "Two Of Us" is the perfect metaphor for how Brett made people feel when they were with him. It seems only fitting that the song included the phrase:
"You and I have memories
Longer than the road that stretches out ahead"