Barb Brooks
Born: Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. - August 23, 1941
Resides: Jasper, Alberta, Canada
Barb Brooks is a water media artist living in Jasper Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Barb's formal education consists of four years of English Literature at the University of Washington, Seattle, and a year of art at Montana State University. Barb studied oil painting with Manitoba artist Marcel Debrieul, then moved to Jasper in 1976. Barb feels that the special environment of Jasper Park caused her to rediscover art as a means of expressing its incomparable beauty.
Barb Brooks has studied water media extensively with leading Canadian and U.S. artists featured by Trillium Workshops travelling out of Toronto, Ontario.
The Alberta Government Career Development Branch has honoured Barb in their 1992 Dream/Dare/Do poster program, its intent to help young Canadians to recognize the connection between Educational choices and occupational alternatives.
In June of 1993, Barb Brooks was the first Canadian artist to be honoured by Dankook University, Seoul, Korea, by hosting her in Seoul with a solo exhibition at the Seoul Gallery. The exhibition was very successful and Barb will be hosted again in Korea and in Tokyo, Japan in 1994.
Barb teaches watercolour to children and adults in Jasper and around the province of Alberta and has successfully completed interactive workshops with larger groups of non artists for various conferences and associations. A feature article on Barb Brooks has been published across Canada in Art Impressions Magazine, summer edition 1994.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Although I have always sketched and painted, such activity was a private response to my life until moving to Jasper National Park. The effect of such incredible expanse of untampered nature has been the motive force behind my full commitment as an artist to convey the beauty of nature. Watercolour enables me to paint in the field and render my impressions of my environment. Adding to the power of my subject matter is my most unique education in the medium with teachers famous in the field, giving me the design training necessary to continued growth. I have had to make a living at my painting as I trained, and have been fully self supporting from my art since 1989. Since Jasper supplies an endless array of subject matter, and I have continued to invest in training in technique, I know I have never had to compromise my artistic growth for commercial reasons. People from all over the world have responded to my art, the majority saying that I have expressed the feeling of the Canadian Rockies, the experience of this beautiful place.
| EDUCATION | |
| 1959-60 | Montana State College, Comm. Art |
| 1964-1968 | University of Washington, English Literature, (Seattle) |
| 1985-1995 | Post graduate studies with 15 master watercolour teachers from the U.S.A. and Canada. My studies consisted of attending courses with focus on location painting and accompanying studio time. This included travel to many parts of Canada and the U.S. and concluded with a Master of Watercolour degree. My teachers are listed below. All have been featured with Trillium Workshops and with only four exceptions have published at least one book on watercolour technique. All of the American Teachers are members of the American Watercolor Society, all jurists for the major shows in the U.S. The Canadian teachers listed are all members of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour and all have been teaching for many years. Trillium's unique format has enabled me to study with teachers of the highest calibre, but in mainly scenic areas where Landscape orientation can be emphasized. Jack Reid, Ontario; Brian Atyeo, Ontario; Brigitte Schreyer, Ontario. Zoltan Szabo, (now in) North Carolina; Frank Webb, Pennsylvania; Alex Power South Carolina; Barbara Nechis, California (also on the faculty of Parsons School of Design, New York City); Kathryn Chang Lieu, California; Christopher Shinck, California; Judi Betts, Louisiana; Virginia Cobb, New Mexico; Maxine Masterfield, Florida. These teachers are, for the main part, the second generation watercolour teachers of the California school, giving me exposure to the North American watercolour movement in the broader sense. |
| EXHIBITIONS |
|
| 1989-Present | Rowles & Company Ltd., Edmonton & Calgary, Alberta |
| 1995 | The Carvery Dining Room, Westin Hotel, Edmonton, Alberta (SOLO) |
| 1994 | Gregory J. Deagle Fine Arts, Jasper, Alberta (SOLO) |
| 1993 | Alberta Asthma Centre opening, Aberhart Centre, Edmonton (SOLO) |
| 1993 | Richmond Cultural Centre, Gateway Theatre (SOLO) |
| 1993 | Rowles & Parham Design Galleries, Edmonton |
| 1993 | The Seoul Gallery, Seoul, Korea (SOLO) Illustrated catalogue. |
| 1992 | Rowles & Parham Design Galleries |
| 1992 | The Carvery Dining Room, Westin Hotel, Edmonton (SOLO) |
| 1991 | The Carvery Dining Room, Westin Hotel, Edmonton, (SOLO) |
| 1991 | ART FOR ALL , Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton |
| 1991 | Rowles & Parham Design Galleries |
| 1991 | Spirit of the Mountains Art Show, Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper |
| 1990 | Rowles & Parham Design Galleries |
| July 1990 | Spirit of the Mountains Art Show, Jasper, Alberta |
| AWARDS AND HONOURS | |
| Oct 1994 | Featured by the 40th British Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference with one work selected as gift for all delegates. |
| June 1993 | Hosted by Dankook University, Seoul, Korea, first Canadian artist to be invited for a solo exhibition in Korea. |
| 1989-1995 | Grant each year for individual self development and community enhancement, Brewster Foundation, Calgary, Alberta |
| Dec 1992 | Chosen Artist for ASAP Colour Inc. for production of a limited edition print - series of 500. |
| March 1992 | Woman of the Year for the Alberta Government Career Development Department - Dream/Dare/Do Poster, the intent to help young Canadians to recognize the connection between educational choices and occupational alternatives. |
| Sept 1991 | Painting selected for the poster for Alberta Career Development Seminar: Competitiveness and Training, Meeting the Challenge, Jasper Park Lodge. |
| TEACHING EXPERIENCES | |
| 1986-97 | In conducting regular painting classes with local adults and children, I developed a Canada unique teaching module which can be adapted for artists and non-artists alike. The module is based on the principle of interactive creative experience, i.e. the discovery of personal potential importance of nature as an inspiration for developing this potential. I have been requested to pre sent this module for many conventions at Canadian Pacific Hotels and have travelled to many communities in Western Canada to present this module to teachers, students, artists, and business people. All have yielded enthusiastic results. |
| 1994 | Through the auspices of the governments of Canada and Japan, I was invited to Japan to participate in the “Canadian Outdoor Initiative 94”, representing Canadian artists. I also successfully conducted cross-cultural outdoor painting courses for corporate executives and associates of Mitsubishi Corporation. |
| 1993 |
During my solo exhibition in Seoul, I demonstrated watercolour techniques and Japanstyles in the graduate fine arts departments in both Dankook University and Sang Mun Women’s University. All of the above contribute to a strong philosophical teaching base using art as a tool to enhance personal development and create environmental awareness. It appears I am able to communicate well with people of all endeavors and nationalities. |
| CORPERATE COLLECTIONS | |
| Westminster Bank of Toronto | |
| Alberta Special Waste Management, Edmonton, AB | |
| Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper, AB | |
| Prudential Bache Securities, Edmonton, AB | |
| Alberta Hospital Ponoka, Ponoka, AB | |
| Spar Reconstruction, Edmonton, AB | |
| AGT, The Reflections Program, Province of Alberta | |
| Mountain Park Lodge, Jasper, AB | |
| Seton General Hospital, Jasper, AB | |
| Government of Canada, Employment & Immigration Canada, Edmonton, AB | |
| Alberta Medical Association, Edmonton, AB | |
| Misericordia Hospital, Edmonton, AB | |
| Jasper School District Service Awards Program, Jasper, AB | |
| Edmonton Public Schools Lions Business Machines, Grande Prairie, AB |
|
| McLeod Consulting, Red Deer, AB | |
| Jasper Inn, Jasper, AB | |
| Dankook University, Seoul, Korea | |
| The Alberta Foundation for the Arts | |
| FIGA, Federal Interprovincial Government Affairs, Edmonton, AB | |
| Dreco Energy Inc., Edmonton, AB | |
| Public Works, Edmonton, AB | |
| Canadian Utilities, Edmonton, AB | |
| Olinyk Trucking, Edmonton, AB | |
| Carlson Construction, Edmonton, AB | |
| Melcor Developments, Edmonton, AB | |
| Walter Twinn, Senator of Canada | |
| Paul G. Saks, Investment Executive, Calgary, AB | |
| Rural & District Improvement Association of Alberta, | |
| NeArtic Group, Edmonton, AB | |
| Canadian Outdoor Initiative '94 - Sahoro Resort, Hokkaido, Japan | |
| J.W. Consulting Inc., Edmonton, AB | |
| Canadian Urological Association, AB | |
| 40th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference - Province of Alberta | |
| Midland Walwyn - Edmonton, AB | |
| Economic Development - Province of Alberta | |
| Spitz and Carr, Edmonton, AB Barb Brooks | |
The artwork of Bard Brooks is represented by Rowles & Company Ltd., Alberta's Corporate Gift & Art Gallery, in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta.
