Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Crispin Brooks. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Crispin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I’m not sure if I can pinpoint a proverbial “eureka” moment. However I was always encouraged by my parents to be creative. Both my parents were writers and teachers outside of their day jobs, and continue to do both now that they are retired. By 6 or 7 I was taking classes in classical piano and by 11 I was in formal art classes being exposed to several mediums. I also read voraciously. I was always curious about the world around me and certainly the world beyond my surroundings. In my tweens or early teens I was convinced that I wanted to spend the rest of my life creating in some way shape or form. That is one thing that has not changed about me. I enjoy the process of bringing things from concept to completion. Needless to say, art has always been a part of my life and for that I am eternally grateful.

Crispin, 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?

At my core I’m a storyteller. The mediums may change, but that is what I consider myself. In corporate terms I guess I would be called a “multi hyphenate creative”; if we really wanted to offer me a label. In my teens my dream was to be a screenwriter. I was particularly in love with sitcoms. One year before college I was advised by a filmmaker not to major in film at the undergraduate level and so I majored in journalism with a minor in graphic design. I then went on to Film School. However, I quickly realized that the media landscape was changing and I decided to ditch traditional film school and forge my own path. I must admit that diving into all areas of study equipped me with a wealth of knowledge that spanned across several facets of art and business. Since then, I have taken that knowledge and built upon it by working in several spaces. Work experience has taken me from a season of Bravo’s Top Chef to a Rick Ross music video and into one of Netflix’s original series. Besides my TV experience I have maintained a strong bond with the music scene in the Caribbean where I was raised. My love for music cannot be understated. Hanging with musicians lead to me writing songs with them and eventually for them. Naturally with my experience behind the camera, I ended up becoming a sought-after music video director, particularly in the smaller islands in the Northeastern Caribbean.

While shooting and producing these videos I found myself giving stye tips, demanding wardrobe changes and suggesting hair styles for artists, their backup dancers and their extras. I wanted every video to look like a work of art. Even if we were operating on a shoestring budget. This exercise though did more than enhance my videos. It resurrected a dream that I had put aside since my days at Howard University. I realized that I wanted to finally develop my own clothing brand. I am very methodical and admittedly I can be an over thinker at times. I believe in introducing products with the best possible aesthetic and quality. I took my time to research the fashion industry. Who was who, what companies did what, what fabrics were the best, which suppliers I should work with etc.

My journey to this point has resulted in me owning two entities. 1863 Entertainment which is a production entity with emphasis on artist development, songwriting, visual media and music publishing and Tinsley Brooks Apparel, a casual wear clothing brand.

Music and the visual media that accompany it are very important, especially in today’s world where we are all locked into a screen several times a day. 1863 Entertainment provides artists with direction, advice and assists them with brand and marketing strategies as well as helping them to find their creative voice. I take pleasure in watching a shy artist with raw talent blossom into a confident performer and businessperson. When that artist has developed and has recordings, 1863 is there to provide advice and support with marketing, sales strategy, licensing and publishing among other things. Our goal is to continue to support talent from places with limited opportunity and introduce them to the world.

Tinsley Brooks is the result of years of being a sneaker head coupled with styling musicians and artists for music videos, even if I was only hired to direct (LOL). I wanted to create a line that was first and foremost comfortable. I have always been fascinated with animation, therefore I wanted some of the graphic designs on Tinsley Brooks’ clothing to be playful and whimsical. We all feel a bit playful sometimes. For all other days, I added more classic designs that consist of smaller logos and positive messaging and embroidered patterns. The goal was to provide a color palette that was welcoming and designs that were truly unique, with some that would spark conversation or bring forth a reaction. For example, two of our best-selling sweatshirt designs are our “Choose Wealth” and “I Am the One”. Customers comment that they get compliments and those pieces aways seem to spark conversation. That was part of the goal of Tinsley Brooks Apparel. I want you to feel confident and be a whole “mood” every time you don a piece from Tinsley Brooks.

As my journey continues with 1863 Entertainment and Tinsley Brooks Apparel, I continue to learn every day. I learn from artists, customers, experiences and the world around me. I especially learn from my peers and teams who assist me with both companies. Having lived in several cities and islands, I have a broad perspective and I am open to listening, appreciating and learning. In my opinion, these things can only enhance my creations and aid me as a storyteller. Whether it’s visual media, music or fashion I am a storyteller. The medium changes but my imagination and fascination with the journey never does.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think everyone on this earth has a purpose. Creatives and artists I think are here to be the messengers and the guiding conscience of humanity. The message or the messenger may not always be agreed upon by all, but I wholeheartedly believe that that is our purpose.

For me, the most rewarding thing is to create both tangible and intangible things that have the ability to shift mindsets and moods and ultimately lives. The right song can trigger memories that make you happy. A well written joke can brighten a sad person’s day. A film that is well written and directed can inspire someone to push harder toward their goals. The right garment can boost the confidence of an otherwise insecure person. The list can go on. Artists are vessels who create art. That art inspires, advises and shifts emotion in others. This is what I most enjoy about being a creative. I enjoy being a messenger who creates and reports such messages to make others feel joyful and exciting about their life’s journey.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

This may be quite the unorthodox choice, but I was inspired by Jamie Johnson’s documentary “Born Rich.” It got my attention while perusing the DVD section (I’m revealing my age, aren’t I? LOL) at Barnes and Noble when I was in film school. Jamie Johnson who is an heir to the Johnson and Johnson fortune did a documentary on a group of his friends, who not unlike him, were “born rich.” The film completely shifted my mindset.

First, taking a peek into the lives of the ultra-wealthy motivated me. Not for purposes for vanity, but rather, I realized that it was possible to amass such wealth and use it to do good. Working with super talented artists with limited budgets yet seeing the burning passion they have to succeed can become frustrating. It has been proven time and again that art can be used to elevate entire families out of poverty and change the trajectory of a family’s life for future generations. Though other factors were definitely at play for some of the families in the documentary, I saw possibility. I saw what could be done with the right use of the entrepreneurial spirit. I realized that if you can build something great, you can do great things for others.

Secondly, the message of networking and support for one another was clear in the film. Though the subjects may seem selfish to others, the mere fact that Jamie could pool wealthy kids for a documentary speaks volumes in terms of the relationships between the families. That is a lesson we should all adhere to. Networking, supporting the work of other artists and pooling resources. These things are very important in the world of art and creativity.

Quite the uncommon choice of documentary I’m sure, but somehow that film spoke me in those ways.

Contact Info:

• Website: tinsleybrooks.com and thisis1863.com
• Instagram: @tinsleybrooksapparel and @thisis1863
• Facebook: facebook.com/thisis1863 and facebook.com/tinsleybrooksapparel
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tinsley-brooks-apparel and https://www.linkedin.com/company/1863-entertainment

Image Credits
Tinsley Brooks Photos- Ioana Escu Crispin Brooks Photos- Carter Grotta Shara Vallee- Johnathan Gumbs Art behind Crispin Brooks Main pic-