ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə hɪz mˈʌðɚ, bɹˈɪl dɪvˈɛləpt ɐ pˈæʃən fɔːɹ ˈɑːɹt æɾə jˈʌŋ ˈeɪdʒ, ʃiː sˈɛd "æz ɐ tˈaɪni bˈɔɪ, dʒˈɑːn wʌz ˈɔːlweɪz dɹˈɔːɪŋ".
According to his mother, Brill developed a passion for art at a young age, she said "As a tiny boy, John was always drawing".