FROM the artist

The body of work began with Brooks’ 2024 series, From Above. These abstracted landscapes are derived from aerial footage and topographic maps, capturing the essence of Sonoma County’s terrain. The series Above, Between, Below shifts the focus to Sonoma Valley specifically, exploring different vantage points within the same region.

Above

These pieces are abstractions from an aerial perspective, blending memory and interpretation. The initial layers are inspired by the artist’s mental map of the area’s topography. Over time, textures and details are added based on her analysis of photographs and aerial footage, creating layered representations of this aerial view.

Between

Here, Brooks simplifies a perspective we encounter daily—the negative space found between. Whether that is between rows of vines or the play of light filtering through leaves. In works like Shadow Chasing, she incorporated soil from local vineyards into paint and plaster, grounding the work in the land’s physicality. During the creation process, she traced shadows cast through the vineyards at different times of day, capturing the fleeting shapes painted by sunlight.

Below

This series delves into the hidden world beneath our feet. Inspired by extensive research into the underground root systems of vines—and their intricately woven networks beneath the soil—Brooks uses acrylic ink to recreate these organic webs. This exploration reveals the unseen but vital structures and community that sustain the landscape above.