Brian Gerard Kammerer

Brian "Bri" Kammerer passed away on October 1st with family by his side, after a lengthy illness.
Born on December 13, 1952 in Manhattan to the late H Joseph Kammerer and Maureen Dufficy Kammerer, Brian grew up in Bronxville, NY where he attended St Joseph School, Fordham Prep and later graduated from Bronxville High School where he participated in sports and excelled in the art program. During his school years he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Scouts BSA program representing significant dedication and leadership.
He attended Denison University in Granville, Ohio graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art, History and Film. It was at Denison that he created his first film on the Civil War, a life long interest and passion. Upon graduation Brian began his art career at a division of Columbia Pictures, a film studio in New York City. He quickly began a career with Compton Advertising (later Saatchi & Saatchi)a Proctor and Gamble agency. For the next 35 years he was a much in demand commercial illustrator working for both domestic and international ad agencies. He worked on campaigns for Jeep, Sony, Fuji Film, Kodak, Novartis, RJ Reynolds and was one of a group of artists who worked on the Joe the Camel campaign. Along with creating story boards, he was adept in 3D animation, stop-motion animation and motion graphics. Brian was an accomplished award winning artist in both oil and acrylic painting, his favorite subject was the ocean.
After retiring from Advertising he brought his talents to the communities he lived in, New Canaan, CT and Rowayton CT. In New Canaan he created memorable illustrations of notable holiday celebrations such as Gods Acre and Fourth of July in Waveny Park to name a few. Popular lithographs, the original art would later be transferred into a series of puzzles and notecards by the Elm Street Book store. The New Canaan Library holds two of his original oils in their collection. Brian became involved in Rowayton through the Historical Society and used his dioramic skills to help renovate the Frank Raymond Marine Museum in Pinkney Park. He later was the creator of a popular miniature train Winter Holiday train show in which he built a replica of this quaint seaside section of Norwalk(Rowayton) with a full representational artistic rendering of the buildings and landscape. For the past five years, Brian was a popular market manager of the Rowayton Farmers Market which he made into a much larger marketplace. He loved working with the vendors and the great community of Rowayton. Brian was an enthusiastic supporter of Shakespeare on the Sound.
Along with all of his interests he was an active member of the Civil War Roundtable in Stamford CT which creates a forum for speakers and people interested in the Civil War. He also gave talks on various battles to other clubs along the Eastern seaboard. An animated film he wrote and produced, The Other Great Locomotive Chase based on the Buster Keaton film, The General with model trains won a Scenic Design award at the Dixie Film Festival in 2008. The National Parks Service in Gettysburg hired Brian to create a new view of the Battle of Fredericksburg, a 40 foot outdoor battle map with his unique aerial, richly detailed style of rendering. A similar modern update is also installed at the Chancellorsville Battlefield visitor center. Both are in Virginia.
He is survived by his love of 46 years, wife, Glenda Mason, two treasured daughters; Gabrielle Hastings, of Burlington, VT, her husband Matthew and children, Delphine and Faroe and Ashley Kammerer of Darien CT, her children, Wyatt, Maximus and Vivian. Brian often worked with Ashley on commissioned artwork for her design business. He is also survived by a dear brother, Brendan Kammerer of Swampscott Ma, sister in law, Linda and their children, Piers, Lulu and Clio Kammerer Kendall. Other family members include: brothers, Dennis Kammerer and his wife, Martha; brother, Gregory Kammerer and his wife Annie, and sister, Maureen Wittbold. Brian was also survived by many wonderful cousins and their children. And lastly, Brian was an avid dog lover and is survived by Buckley, a golden retriever and Dickens, a cavalier. He was often seen in Rowayton walking his beloved pets.
Brian was a member of the LDS church in New Canaan and the Methodist Church in Rowayton. His place of rest will be in Rockport Maine, along the rock bound coast he truly loved visiting.
A memorial service celebrating his life will be held in Norwalk at the Magner Funeral Home, 12 Mott Avenue, Norwalk, CT, on October 23rd, from 4-6 PM. For directions please visit: www.Magnerfuneralhome.com