Meet Brooke Connor | Wildlife Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brooke Connor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brooke, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I actually pursued a degree in environmental science because art was innate for me and science wasn’t. My education would be better spent on things that I couldn’t teach myself. And that paid off. But after 28 years in the sciences, I was anxious to let myself use the other half of my brain again. And I’ve never felt better.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My style is COLOR. I started in the 1970’s with black and white line drawings using india ink in a rapidograph pen. Color didn’t come into play for years, because I never found a medium that I liked until I found alcohol markers. Most of my early works are created with markers. Over time, I experimented with digital illustration and absolutely love the flexibility it provides, but I don’t love the tendency for it to look digital.

My compositions usually include a single subject with either direct eye contact with the viewer, or side-eyed when appropriate. I exaggerate natural colors, avoiding brown and favoring blue and purple. Finally, I am obsessed with detail which leads to the addition of intricate patterns within the natural shapes of musculature.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My BFFs and I go to Pearl Street for shopping, the Rio for lunch or dinner, and to Rocky Mountain National Park for nature.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout goes to my grandfather for instilling in me that being artistic is a gift; to my mother for showing me that if you want something done, you better be prepared to do it yourself; and to the local shops for believing in and promoting my products. Earthwood Collections (Estes Park); Red Canyon Art (Lyons); Open Studios (Boulder); Creative Framing (Louisville); Evergreen Gallery (Evergreen); Stonehenge (Georgetown); Stoneheart Gallery (Evergreen); Wandering Daisy (Breckenridge); Rocky Mountain Gift Store (Rocky Mountain National Park); Yellowstone Canyon Lodge Gift Store (Yellowstone National Park); Butterfly Pavillion (Broomfield); Museum Store at Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park (Lakewood).

Website: https://brookeconnordesign.com

Instagram: brookeconnordesign

Facebook: brookeconnordesign

Other: https://brookeconnordesign.etsy.com

Image Credits
Brooke Connor Design