Studio Information
MarinMOCA
By Appt: W-F pm + (some Sat) Call ahead + At front door call 415.302.6693
About The Artist
I was once asked: “In one or two words, what means the most to you in life?” The answer, and the realization, came to me in an instant:
Creative Opportunity!
My artistic expression, often three-dimensional, is an effort to create beauty and simplicity in functional objects. Over a lifetime I’ve worked with many media. I learned knitting and sewing at my mother’s knee, sewing clothes, knitting sweaters and sox, working on a variety of embroidery projects. These led me to my interest in ornamentation and artwear.
My grandmother introduced me to travel — across the country by train at 12 years old, two months in Europe plus North Africa when I was 18 years old, as well as many solo and group trips beyond.
The Creative Opportunity that is before me now is presented by decades-long collections of yarns, fabrics, ethnic beads, shells and treasured tchotchkes. Now I’m experiencing the joy of combining them into jewelry using techniques from textile arts, beading and metal smithing. This and much of my art has been influenced by my travels over 70 years.
As I look back I see how influenced I’ve been by family, including my father’s engineering! Yes, figuring out how to carry out my creative visions often takes a bit of engineering!
As an artist, I’ve “worn many hats”.
I learned knitting and sewing at my mother’s knee. In the 1980s weaving was a natural. When I tired of the two dimensionality of weaving I transitioned to simple beaded jewelry.
In the early 1990s, I branched out, taking metal smithing and fiber sculpture classes at College of Marin. Soon knitting re-entered and I began experimenting with knitting wire – primarily fine gage electronics wire.
With my unique knit wire jewelry, participation in national, competitive craft shows followed. My work was featured in magazines, books, and used in Hollywood costume design. My life as a fine art jeweler was from 1994 to 2001. Click here to see a brief resume from that part of my history. And Click here to see several pages of photos of my knit wire jewelry.
During the 2000s I traveled to faraway lands as a photographer. National Geographic used an image. You’ll find more about the photography and other art at http://www.annbrooks.com
In 2008 I designed jewelry using beads from artisans from around the world, a collaboration, if you will. Beads I used were part of traditions handed down for generations. Creating that jewelry grew out of a fascination with exotic lands, which began in 1952, when my grandmother took me to Morocco (and Europe) as a teenager.
In 2013 I discovered the potential of polymer clay as a fine art jewelry medium. I developed a line of contemporary art jewelry in this exciting post-modern medium.
In 2016 I returned to textile art. I designed and created wearable art which gave me a wonderful opportunity to mix textiles, both ethnic and contemporary. “Secret Pockets” also came into being at this time.
In 2022, a new studio at MarinMOCA campus and new textile work. Larger bags combining antique ethnic embroidery and varieties of textile necklaces with ethnic pendants.
Current mediums in my studio are ethnic jewelry, fiber/textiles –”Secret Pockets,” and my archival travel photography. Come visit!
Please follow me on instagram: @annbrooksstudio
Photography, Fiber, Jewelry, Clothing
Contact Information
415.302.6693
Exhibitions & Press
Current Exhibition:
Sebastopol Center for the Arts. “Accessories” International Juried Exhibition. April 1 to May 7. 2023. Award: Coordinator’s Choice.
Under my “Artwork” see photo of me and and Treasure Hunt Necklace with note of its award at Sebastopol gallery.
See exhibition above.
