Traveling the world gathering inspiration for her art Susan Brooks is a Gemini at heart. It has been said that Gemini should never place any limits on themselves. If that Gemini is an artist it means a lifetime of creative experimenting. With that in mind, Susan Brooks ventured forth into the many schools of art: realism, portraiture, impressionism, abstract expressionism, collage, sculpture, and even jewelry. While an art major in college in Southern California, she studied design and various art mediums. Her work has been accepted in juried shows both in Hawaii and on the mainland often winning awards.
In 1988, she, along with two friends, co-founded the Arts of Paradise Gallery at the International Marketplace in Waikiki. She also co-founded Art Alternatives, an art leasing company that leases art to businesses.
Teaching art is now one of Susan’s greatest joys. “Children are like Gemini’s, they know no limits. They are willing to explore and create anything.” Her students completed three large wall murals with her assistance and she just completed illustrations for her second children’s book called Have You Ever Seen a Swan Smile? about the wildlife at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. With her first book, The Hawaiian Christmas Tree, she continues to do book signings around Oahu. Susan Brooks has lived in Hawaii for almost 31 years.
She is still in awe of the beauty that God has blessed on Hawaii. “Every day is a new inspiration, a new challenge.”