We recently connected with Scott Brooks and have shared our conversation below.

Scott, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

My work is often misunderstood and mischaracterized, much of this is my fault since my work tends to be symbolic and surreal. While it is narrative, the storyline is not often clear. I use symbols and clues within the painting but often the title is the best place to start. My work is very personal as well so there are times when I’m intentionally vague, It is more effective for viewers to come up with their interpretations of my work and I actively encourage that. In the past I’ve had potential collectors press me for answers about what a specific piece means, and are then disappointed in the answers I give them and ultimately a sale is lost.

My work has many different narrative threads running through it. In the course of creating a piece, I can usually predict how or what viewers will see in it.

Everyone has their own personal filters and blinders and that reflects itself in the artwork, or the movie, or the music they are experiencing. People are really good at projecting. They can project onto other people but also works of art. For example, while my work can be suggestive and I often depict nudes, people love to project their own kinks or fantasies onto my work, and often onto me.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m an artist & illustrator based in Baltimore, MD. My paintings focus on surreal, figurative art, specializing in non-traditional portraiture and narratives. My paintings, drawings, and prints are available online at www.scottgbrooks.com and through several galleries worldwide. My t-shirt collection is available at https://scottgbrooks.threadless.com

I’m currently working on a variety of projects. My next solo exhibit opens on September 6, 2025, at Gallery Blue Door in Baltimore. Beyond paintings and drawings, I’ve been exploring writing, focusing on children’s books and graphic novels.

I also collaborate with businesses, both large and small, on marketing and branding initiatives. Samples of my digital work and whiteboard videos at www.sgbrooks.com. The whiteboard videos are a particular favorite of mine—quick, creative, and engaging, they’ve allowed me to partner with wonderful clients to deliver impactful messaging.

What sets me apart is my unique outsider’s perspective. I view each project as unique and try to approach it from a different point of view, which is difficult given the sheer number of artists out there. I strive for new ideas and to challenge norms, which I think adds a distinctive edge to my work. One way I do this is by not repeating myself. I’ve done lots of work in many mediums and across many genres but if it looks too much like something I’ve done before or seen before I try and come up with something else, or twist it up a bit at the very least. This helps me generate fresh, unconventional ideas. My creative process involves incorporating humor into my work, along with my fears and anxieties, giving it humanity.

I’m very proud my work connects with people, whether through my fine art, commercial projects, or storytelling. My work is deeply personal yet I try to make it relatable, blending authenticity, creativity, and being just a bit inappropriate. It’s not for everyone but I’m very grateful it connects with people. I’m also proud of my resilience, my flexibility, and my ability to pivot between vastly different projects incorporating vastly different media.

I grew up in the rural suburbs of Flint Michigan, and was part of a large family. I started my art career in high school, painting murals in local schools. This continued through college and I painted murals in schools, offices, hospitals, and museums across mid-Michigan and the Detroit area. I received my BFA from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, focusing on painting and illustration in 1983. I had a studio set up so when I wasn’t painting murals I worked on my art and had several exhibits in the Flint area. I moved to Washington, DC in 1990 when my first partner got a job there.

I mostly left the mural business behind me in Flint. I painted a few in the DC area but wanted to focus on my fine arts and illustration. I got a prime assignment with the Washington Times, I illustrated several children’s books and magazines. I also started working digitally, I had no computer experience but picked it up quickly, My first real job was creating presentations and materials for a navy contractor, eventually, I began creating 2D and 3-D animation for training demos. From there I started working for an online gaming company. I created and animated many of the assets for a CD-ROM game for the original Jumanji movie.

All this time I maintained a studio and continued painting and exhibiting my work, as well as pursuing freelance illustration projects. Ironically, on the same day our entire office was unceremoniously fired, I was allowed to be the new artist for Smokey Bear. I worked with the USDA and the Forest Service to create 17 new paintings of the iconic and much beloved Smokey Bear. My main contribution was to make Smokey a bit more buff and get rid of the dad jeans. As a gay man and soon-to-be gay bear, I knew where this was going even back then.

My career has always had a dual trajectory. One track was commercial, Smokey Bear, Jumanji, children’s books, and other illustration projects, and the other was as a painter. At first, I made far more income as an illustrator and designer but I still loved to paint and I was soon having solo exhibits in Washington, DC, New York, and Los Angeles, and high-profile collectors and celebrities were buying my work. My work has been exhibited across the US and internationally.

I moved to Baltimore in 2016 after a difficult breakup and am happy to call this my new home. I have an awesome studio in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, a supportive partner, and some great friends and neighbors.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

There are a couple things that non-creatives might not know about creatives. For me as a visual artist it’s very isolating. I need to be alone to work and I work a lot, so I spend most of my time by myself. I learned early on that being a creative person separates me from other people. Starting with my family and then in school. As a shy kid who was part of a big loud family I’ve always been more comfortable laying low and blending in, yet my artwork always attracted attention. Perhaps that was intentional on some level. My subconscious clamoring for the attention I didn’t get at home. People noticed my drawing and my art even if they didn’t notice me. I was very young but looking back that probably set the stage for my life, both good and bad.

Another thing non-creatives might struggle to understand is how demanding and multifaceted the creative journey is. It’s not just about having a talent or a magical gift—it’s years of practice, experimentation, and constant self-evaluation. Art can feel deeply fulfilling, but it’s also draining, especially when your creativity becomes tied to your livelihood, and times are tough. I can blame others but it’s still up to me to figure it out. Being an artist is very connected to my identity, making it challenging to separate myself from it and finding balance in my life. Luckily I’m with someone who runs his own business and has an art background so there’s not much conflict there.

Based on the politics and the funding, art is woefully undervalued. People think making art is effortless, as if it’s something that just happens naturally or that we’re just “playing”. But anyone who’s pursued it knows that the process is messy and frustrating. Artists often fail and make crappy art that doesn’t sell or get noticed. It’s up to us to move on and that’s tough. It’s hard, deliberate work.

Another thing that’s hard to explain is how unique each artist’s journey is. There’s no single formula or structure for creating. Finding your method is personal, and trying to fit into someone else’s mold can stifle your creativity. It takes constant effort to maintain balance, reframe failures, and stay inspired.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is the profound sense of freedom it brings. I’ve reached a point in my career where I rarely have to answer to anyone, which, while it has its challenges, is a trade-off that works in my favor. This freedom isn’t just about how I work—it extends to how I live. There’s an unspoken “free pass” that comes with being an artist, allowing me to navigate life with a certain fluidity, even when my behavior—good or bad—might not align with societal norms. As a bit of an outsider, I’ve learned to see things from unique perspectives. Conformity is uncomfortable, and I find much freedom by not conforming. This stems from being in a large family where we all were expected to act the same, believe in the same god, dress alike, eat alike etc. Conforming has it’s own gravitational pull so it’s still tough but it’s gotten easier to recognize when I’m getting sucked in.

What’s fascinating is how this role creates a sense of mystery. For many people, the idea of dedicating one’s life to art is so foreign that it builds a sort of wall, a boundary that keeps me separate, but also respected, uniquely. That mystery, that separation, feels like a badge of honor in its own right.

Finally, I’m incredibly fortunate to have opportunities that fuel my creativity and allow me to look forward to new projects and possibilities. This combination of freedom, respect, and endless potential makes being an artist a truly rewarding experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.scottgbrooks.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/scottgbrooksart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scottgbrooksart/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-brooks-64a80793/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brooksini
• Other: https://www.sgbrooks.com/
  https://scottgbrooks.threadless.com/
  https://bsky.app/profile/scottgbrooksart.bsky.social

Image Credits

The Flint Journal (black and white facing the camera)
Fred Fulkerson (black and white kneeling in front of OZ mural)