We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brooke Skousen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brooke below.

Brooke, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

When I was eight years old I began taking oil painting classes and since that start I have continuously created art in one form or another throughout my life. However when I became a mother I gave up that part of me for about 3 years. I felt so overwhelmed with this new role and did not feel I had the time, energy or bandwidth to even entertain the idea of creating again. I also felt it would be selfish to bring art back into my life. I felt that if I did, I would be putting my wants and desires before my children and I couldn’t be “that” person. I wanted so badly to be a “good” mom and do it all right and give them my undivided attention and do it perfectly. As time passed though, I felt like I lost part of my identity and felt as though I didn’t make a difference outside of my own home. Don’t get me wrong, being a mother is the greatest gift I could ever ask for and I would not trade it for anything! But a part of me was missing, and I didn’t feel fulfilled or whole. But I also could not let go of that potentially guilt for doing what i wanted to do again.

Then Covid happened, and I felt even more trapped inside my own walls and needed an outlet so desperately! I stumbled upon some simple modern wood designs through a family member and i was intruded by the medium and the style. I decided to go buy some wood from the hardware store and borrow some tools from my dad and figure it out. Fortunately, I already had an insulated workshop in my backyard since I had been teaching kids art. So i went back there during nap times and night time and I started creating. I had felt that little fire within me that I had lost, start to grow inside of me and take over and I didn’t stop until that first piece was complete. I spent every spare moment I had finishing it.
Finally, it was complete! I brought it inside to show my husband with my heart beating out of my chest with excitement that I had just created something again with my hands and not only that, but with power tools! I looked at my husband and he just smiled wide at me. I said, “so,.. what do you think?” He said,… “I haven’t seen you this happy in a while. I can tell you really enjoyed doing this, and you should keep doing it.”

He was right. I had to keep doing this. Every ounce of me needed this again in my life. So from that point on I didn’t stop. I kept creating, and making and eventually I started taking commissions, selling my art online, going to shows and growing a business of my own.

Brooke, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a full time mother to three young children. I am an extrovert and a wood artist.

I create wood mosaics from reclaimed hardwoods. I think of my work as a way to recreate and reuse scrap materials to transform them into something extraordinary.  All of my pieces are created using 100% reclaimed woods, mostly hardwoods. (Walnut, oak, alder, maple etc.)  I feel that in this way I am not only creating something aesthetically beautiful to look at and enjoy but at the same time I am preserving a small part of the community around me by saving beautiful wood that would have otherwise been thrown away. I am also able to transform that material into something that holds meaning and tells a story that others can keep as a part of their home forever.

I think what sets me apart from others is that my medium is not a typical medium in the art world. Aside from that, my style is not one that you will likely find elsewhere. My work ranges from intricate art deco, to hand painted florals on wood, to intricate mountain pieces with kaleidoscope skies. Each of which are unique and original to me and my brand. I spend countless hours sourcing and cleaning up my wood to bring it to life in each piece of artwork. I have been an artist since I was 8, because at that age, what kid doesn’t think they are an artist? I put my heart into each piece I make and one of my favorite parts of the whole process is when I see the reaction on the recipients face when they see their piece of artwork for the first time. That is one of the most fulfilling parts of what I do as an artist.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

One of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist is having my kids see me find joy in creating. I believe that art holds so much value in the world and it is such a crucial way for children and adults alike to express themselves and have an outlet from their thoughts and emotions. For me personally, I feel like I show up as a much better mother, wife and overall version of myself when I am creating. I used to think it selfish to make art and spend that time on myself to do what made me happy, but what it really did was bring me peace, which in turn helped me to be the mom I really wanted to be. A mother that was present, a mother that was full of life and energy, because she made the conscious choice to take care of her own needs.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My biggest goal driving my creative journey is making artwork that will bring enlightenment, peace and courage to those who see it. I recently created a piece of artwork for a family who lost their son to suicide. All that they asked in regards to the commission was that it had color and mountains. I was able to source wood from the boys old church leader who also passed away years ago. I used that wood to make the mountains. From their I created a sky from small little triangles and squares of maple and painted them a large scope of soft happy pastel colors. I arranged them in a pixelated way with the warmer colors being at the crest of the mountain top. I entitled this piece, “Joshua’s Sunrise”. I felt it was fitting as I believe that there is life after this and it would give the family hope that he was just barely beginning a new beautiful journey. It was my proudest piece to date. The family came over to pick up their artwork and upon turning it around for them to see, they broke down in tears of joy. Nothing can top the sense of joy I felt when seeing their reaction. To this day, they still message me saying how much peace and love it brings to them when they look at it.

Contact Info:

• Website: brookesdesigns.squarespace.com
• Instagram: brooke_s_designs
• Facebook: Brooke Skousen Design

Image Credits
Jacquie Erickson