During his early career, Brown traveled and worked in St. Louis, Little Rock and Texas. In St. Louis, Brown taught at the St. Louis Art School. He went on to open his own school in Little Rock. He initially specialized in portraiture and still life. Upon moving to Pasadena in 1896, he began to paint landscapes. John Bentz gave him his first show in Pasadena at the Hotel Green, although He didn't sell any artwork until about 1900, but by 1905 he had become famous for his paintings of poppies. From 1909 to 1910, Brown had a studio in Mill Valley, California. He frequently held exhibitions in northern California and areas around San Francisco.