Always drawn to the creative side of life, Brooks showed innate musical and artistic talent as a child and became a prolific self-taught artist. Born in New Orleans, LA and raised in the South, Ms. Garten has lived and worked in Ashland, OR since 1985.
     A depth of spirit and a touch of nature are evident in all of Brooks' work, whether it is a representational piece, a flowing organic abstract creation or a combination of the two. Her paintings have been described as "enchanting"..."(e)motion expressed with the language of color"..."soul made visible"..."a combination of intuition and intention". 
     Taking a side-trip into the world of broadcast communications, Brooks graduated, summa cum laude, with a bachelor degree in 1988 and received an A-P Honorable Mention Award in radio news along the way. While always pursuing her love of art, Brooks also did some acting, appearing in numerous local television commercials and educational film productions. She studied acting at the Lee Strasburg Theatre Institute in West Hollywood, CA.
     Brooks' art has traveled the globe. Her pencil illustrations complement Donna Eden's book, 'Energy Medicine', published by Tarcher-Penguin-Putnam, Inc., 1998.   Brooks shares her passion for life through her musical compositions and writing as well as her paintings. She is in the process of publishing two books of poetry, one containing her art and the other black & white photography. Click on the following two links for excerpts from the upcoming books.

"With Each Breath"

"Awakened Passion: Words of Love & Selected Paintings"

     In any medium, this artist offers a unique vision, energy and beauty. New paintings and information, about and by the artist, will be posted as soon as possible. Brooks welcomes your comments and inquiries.