Celebrating the Art of Steve Brooks (1949-2024) Exhibition

Trained in Fine Art at the Harris College of Art and then at the Slade in the late sixties Steve’s work was inspired by keen observation and visual explorations of ideas. Whilst at the Slade, he won the Slade drawing prize and Sir William Coldstream commented that Steve produced more work in his first term than most students produced in three years.

In the late 1970s, Steve worked as a personal assistant to Richard Hamilton, who himself had been a pupil of Marcel Duchamp. Through this role Steve was immersed in Hamilton’s home and studio in Oxfordshire, where he encountered a wide circle of artists and ideas. Steve always felt he learned enormously from this period, and regarded it as a formative and treasured legacy. He also undertook editioning work for Hamilton, including editions now held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

This retrospective shows some of the more recent work that Steve exhibited over the last three decades. Steve is not here now but this does not stop Veronica (his wife), and Paul (his son), knowing what his thoughts might be about creating an exhibition.

Through various media – pencil, pastel, watercolour, silverpoint and oil paint Steve was inspired by ideas – “ History is scattered with a plethora of theories surrounding our planet and its place in the cosmos.

From Ptolemy to Newton, Einstein and Hawkins…from the ideas of a flat planet through to the Big Bang, Chaos theory, and the origins of cartography, Steve used these concepts as a basis for developing multiple series of works. He both explored the visualisation of these theories and sought to understand how these scientific revolutions have impacted our perception of the world.

Visual enquiries also led him into a representation and evocation of classical music…another great passion. He studied Elgar’s “The Kingdom” and also explored the subtleties and dynamics of Handel’s Coronation Anthem, Zadok the Priest.

His love of walking and nature also inspired him to draw and paint in the landscape of Herefordshire …loving the hop fields, furrowed fields and the views around Fownhope.

Steve’s last series of wonderful colourful explorations were based around creating 3 dimensional surfaces in paintings. These were a total experimentation with colour, materials and form.

Steve continued until he could no longer create in the way that he could determine. Surrounded by his paintings and family, Steve received phenomenal care from the Hospice at Home team from St.Michael’s Hospice.

It was his wish that his art should be sold to benefit St. Michael’s Hospice at this exhibition in appreciation of the continuing work of vital Hospice care; 30% of the sale price of all artworks sold will be donated to the Hospice.

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