An Exuberant Spirit: Thomas William Brooks, III

GUEST BLOG WRITTEN BY HIS SON, STEPHEN BROOKS

My father stands out as one of my earliest creative mentors. He always had a project - no matter what. He showed up from work humming a tune and then there it was - a birdhouse for a neighbor, a doll house for my sister, or toy cannons for my brother and me. Ideas flowed and he created “it.” As the child of a lumber jack and a homemaker-turned-tutor in rural Georgia and Alabama, he had little access to art materials. That never stopped him from creating.

In the early nineteen forties, he and his younger brother, David, scoured building sites for discarded scraps of wood, castaway nails, and whatever looked interesting. Damaged materials were not a problem, these were inspiration. He carefully straightened crooked nails by tapping them with a hammer against pavement. Then, he nailed wood and other materials into something he wanted. Dad often described how he made paste from egg yolks for his paper constructions. Later in school, he discovered block printing. He fashioned many works including family portraits, images of musicians, and street scenes from Mobile, Birmingham and the mountains of north Georgia.

T. W. Brooks, III, Street Car, block print on paper

T. W. Brooks, III, Violinist, block print on paper

In the late sixties, dad and mom moved our family to Hickory where he worked as a Radiologist and we made our home. During his free time, dad worked on an array of conjured imaginings called projects. We enjoyed custom tree houses, bird houses unlike any other, Christmas ornaments with pearls, ribbon, jewels and grandiose bedazzlers that sparkled with holiday anticipation and the awe of the season. These are cherished and revive memories of my father’s innovative spirit.

In the late eighties, my dad discovered – or rediscovered – gourds! A quintessential Southern fruit, dad found inspiration in their organic form and mottled natural surface. He crafted gourds into expressive sea creatures - whales, sharks, octopi, and imagined sea monsters. Owls, cranes, giant jack-o-lanterns and expressive turkeys were also favorites – especially for my mother who loves seasonal décor.

Fueled by a fertile imagination and creative spirit, dad created an impressive body of work full of exuberance and his love of life. He shared his many creations with friends and family. These gifts reflected his creative spirit. Beyond missing dad – or Dr. Brooks, Bill or Billy - we also miss the surprise and awe he shared with us when he created something surprisingly grand from almost nothing. Our family treasures these gifts from dad and we are humbled that a few of his creations found their home at the Hickory Museum of Art where others can enjoy them as much as we do.

T. W. Brooks, III, Sextopus, paint on gourd. Currently on view in the ongoing exhibition, Discover Folk Art: Unique Visions By Southern Contemporary Folk Artists located on the 3rd floor. Another work, Owls, mixed media, is a part of Hickory Museum of Art’s permanent collection.