Brian Brooks was born in Wembley, England in 1950, before moving with his family to the Hertfordshire countryside. During his time at school he developed an equal passion for art and music and was encouraged and mentored by his tutors in both fields. Douglas Cox taught him the alchemy of the photo silkscreen technique, which stood him in good stead when he became an assistant at The Factory in New York City in the 1970’s, whilst studying for his BFA.
Touring the world as a musician upon leaving college, the relentless and fascinating barrage of filmic situations fed his interest in the kaleidoscopic images of the ever-changing visual world surrounding him, giving him the impetus to set up as a practicing artist upon his eventual return to England in 1980, having lived in Copenhagen and Amsterdam. In 2005 he received a Masters degree in painting from Wimbledon School of Art.
His painting style is primarily process-driven, utilising photography and film as a point of reference rather than as a tool for direct imitation. His chosen subject matter is varied, although the methodology evolves, having moved with the technological advancements of digital processing and computer manipulation.
He has enjoyed worldwide exhibitions since the mid 1970’s and currently lives in South West London, where he paints and draws daily in the studio across the courtyard from the house which he shares with his wife and three children.