Will Brooks
Encyclopedia
Will Brooks is an American visual artist, who specializes in painting
and drawing
. Brooks, a native of Louisiana is now a resident of Houston, Texas
.
, Cajun
, and Choctaw
ancestry. Naturally compelled to create art from an early age. Despite growing up in a rural area dominated by primarily industrial interests, Will, encouraged by parents, persisted with his dream of one day becoming an artist all throughout his public education years. He earned a full scholarship to college and pursued a degree in Fine Arts with studies extensively focused on drawing, design, painting, and printmaking. Will graduated cum laude
from Louisiana Tech University
in 2000.
the couple relocated to Houston where avenues for exposure of Will's art opened up and the momentum has been built ever since. He remains involved in the community.
As an artist, Will understands the importance of the creative spirit and its role in overcoming cultural stagnation. Will strives to live his entire life as an adventure while nurturing his eccentricities, respecting them as having sprung from the same source as his artistic talent. Creating art has also served as a healing therapy against a lifelong struggle against depressive tendencies. It is also for this reason that all of his work is composed of bright radiant colors.
, and the wisdom of Lao Tzu
's “Tao Te Ching
”. Some artists who have influenced Will's artist direction over the years include Henri Matisse, Richard Diebenkorn, Mark Rothko, Keith Haring, Georgia O'Keeffe, Isamu Noguchi, Eduardo Chillida, Ellsworth Kelly, Auguste Garufi, Jaq Chartier, Troy Gua, Goncalo Ivo, and designer Mark Farrow. Brooks has been developing his signature style for over a decade. He composes clean crisp designs with bright vivid colors much like a musician composes a catchy tune with notes. Thus he strikes a balance between pop and minimalist sensibilities while testing the limits of design. His focus remains on color and shape while eschewing texture to maintain the most universally smooth surface possible within the composition. Aesthetically, he is drawn to crisp, clean lines and bold, yet restrained designs. His goal is to create beautiful compositions that are truthful interpretations of his observations of day to day life. He strives to solicit a strong reaction from the viewer by providing work that is so visually stimulating and bold that the image will remain in the mind's eye long after the first viewing and is as addictive as the catchiest of pop songs.
", a summer camp for children living with HIV/AIDS. Soon after, Will became sought after by other local charities in an effort to promote their causes. He has been involved with The Gulf Coast Archive and Museum
, AIDS Foundation Houston, The Misfits, and numerous others.
For Easter 2009, Will began a local charity experiment by creating The Cubes Project. Hand-painted, brightly colored and designed 4 inch cubes, resembling children's blocks, were places around Houston as "Easter Eggs." Each cube was numbered and contained a website address leading to an interactive website devoted to The Cubes Project. The cubes were free to keep, with a request that instead of paying the artist, the person finding the cube would donate to a local charity instead.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and drawing
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
. Brooks, a native of Louisiana is now a resident of Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
The early years
Will Brooks was born in central Louisiana of IrishIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Cajun
Cajun
Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
, and Choctaw
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
ancestry. Naturally compelled to create art from an early age. Despite growing up in a rural area dominated by primarily industrial interests, Will, encouraged by parents, persisted with his dream of one day becoming an artist all throughout his public education years. He earned a full scholarship to college and pursued a degree in Fine Arts with studies extensively focused on drawing, design, painting, and printmaking. Will graduated cum laude
Latin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
from Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
in 2000.
Career
After graduation, Will and his husband moved several times within Louisiana before finally settling in New Orleans. Seven months later, after Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
the couple relocated to Houston where avenues for exposure of Will's art opened up and the momentum has been built ever since. He remains involved in the community.
As an artist, Will understands the importance of the creative spirit and its role in overcoming cultural stagnation. Will strives to live his entire life as an adventure while nurturing his eccentricities, respecting them as having sprung from the same source as his artistic talent. Creating art has also served as a healing therapy against a lifelong struggle against depressive tendencies. It is also for this reason that all of his work is composed of bright radiant colors.
Artistic style
Will has been inspired and influenced by various diverse sources including European electronic music, the work of Japanese architect Tadao AndoTadao Ando
is a Japanese architect whose approach to architecture was once categorized by Francesco Dal Co as critical regionalism. Ando has led a storied life, working as a truck driver and boxer prior to settling on the profession of architecture, despite never having taken formal training in the field...
, and the wisdom of Lao Tzu
Laozi
Laozi was a mystic philosopher of ancient China, best known as the author of the Tao Te Ching . His association with the Tao Te Ching has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism...
's “Tao Te Ching
Tao Te Ching
The Tao Te Ching, Dao De Jing, or Daodejing , also simply referred to as the Laozi, whose authorship has been attributed to Laozi, is a Chinese classic text...
”. Some artists who have influenced Will's artist direction over the years include Henri Matisse, Richard Diebenkorn, Mark Rothko, Keith Haring, Georgia O'Keeffe, Isamu Noguchi, Eduardo Chillida, Ellsworth Kelly, Auguste Garufi, Jaq Chartier, Troy Gua, Goncalo Ivo, and designer Mark Farrow. Brooks has been developing his signature style for over a decade. He composes clean crisp designs with bright vivid colors much like a musician composes a catchy tune with notes. Thus he strikes a balance between pop and minimalist sensibilities while testing the limits of design. His focus remains on color and shape while eschewing texture to maintain the most universally smooth surface possible within the composition. Aesthetically, he is drawn to crisp, clean lines and bold, yet restrained designs. His goal is to create beautiful compositions that are truthful interpretations of his observations of day to day life. He strives to solicit a strong reaction from the viewer by providing work that is so visually stimulating and bold that the image will remain in the mind's eye long after the first viewing and is as addictive as the catchiest of pop songs.
Charity work
Only a few months after moving to Houston, Will organized an art show/silent auction fundraiser to raise funds for AIDS Foundation Houston's "Camp HopeCamp Hope
Camp Hope , is a volunteer base camp located in a former school in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana. Camp Hope has welcomed people from all over the United States and all over the world who have come to participate in the massive recovery efforts of St...
", a summer camp for children living with HIV/AIDS. Soon after, Will became sought after by other local charities in an effort to promote their causes. He has been involved with The Gulf Coast Archive and Museum
Gulf Coast Archive and Museum
The Gulf Coast Archive and Museum of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender History is an LGBT history organization located in Neartown, Houston, Texas ....
, AIDS Foundation Houston, The Misfits, and numerous others.
For Easter 2009, Will began a local charity experiment by creating The Cubes Project. Hand-painted, brightly colored and designed 4 inch cubes, resembling children's blocks, were places around Houston as "Easter Eggs." Each cube was numbered and contained a website address leading to an interactive website devoted to The Cubes Project. The cubes were free to keep, with a request that instead of paying the artist, the person finding the cube would donate to a local charity instead.