Dara Tolbert Brooks

Creativity can be expressed in numerous ways. For me it is in my genealogy, writing and ultimately my interpretation of the world around me. My visual mediums of choice are watercolor first, then acrylics and charcoal. Recently I have added mixed medium to my repertoire and find myself having a great deal of fun.

A recent transplant to the Florida sunshine I find myself fully immersed in my new life’s journey. Having become a big sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters I delight in developing the creative side of my little sister while helping her improve her math and reading skills.

In exploring the environment around me I have been reenergized and see it being expressed in my subjects. My first juried exhibition was at Art Center Manasota and I continue to exhibit in the area.

My artistic beginnings are in Michigan where junior high school teacher Mrs. Malenoff recruited me for her after school program for talented students and assisted me as I created the life sized sketches of models used as stage back drop for our senior fashion show. She arranged that I meet the staff cartoonist for the Detroit Free Press and encouraged me to attend the prestigious Cass Technical High School in Detroit so that I could enroll in the art department.

Attending Cass Tech, a college preparatory school helped me further develop my skills. Attracting the attention of Mr. Tennenbaum, an art teacher in high school because of my depiction of clouds I was recruited for another after school class of hand-picked students where I continued to develop. From there I received a scholarship to The Society of Arts and Crafts. By the time I graduated from their Industrial Design program it was called Center for Creative Studies, College of Art and Design. Today it is known as College for Creative Studies.

While completing my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree I worked in numerous positions including one with Aristocratic Advertising, a company focused on the give-away market where I designed art for match covers, key chains, coffee mugs, note pads, watch and clock faces. Later I designed a Chinese restaurant menu cover.

My tenure with Contract Furnishings took me into the then new cubicle space planning design area. I worked on projects for a local hospital which included offices and their cafeteria. I teamed up with a local architectural firm Smith, Hinchmann & Grylls, now The Smith Group; and the Renaissance Center Properties as the towers were just opening up to tenants. My completed space design included common areas and several RenCen Tower 100 new tenants who were installing the new cubicle design work stations.

I went to work for General Motors in their art department. Eventually the company began out sourcing art work and I went back to school and moved into engineering where I stayed until my retirement.

Prior to my move to Florida I exhibited extensively in Southeastern Michigan at churches; the Van Elslander Cancer Center; the Grosse Pointe Art Center; the Anton Art Center; the Detroit Historical Museum; the Padziewski Gallery; and the Downriver Council for the Arts. My art was chosen by the Mount Clemens Art Association for their 2014 and 2015 calendars with proceeds going to the education of deserving students seeking art as a career. One of my most important projects was teaching watercolors to cancer patients at the Providence Park Hospital Assarian Cancer Center as part of their Healing Arts Program. A very important part of my artistic development was the mural I painted on the interior wall of the Minha Coffee Haus in Mount Clemens, Michigan. As a tribute to my family’s history and in conjunction with my genealogical work I have begun documenting my elders in watercolor.

My work is for sale and I am available for commission work. Please contact me at dtolbrk@gmail.com.