GREENEVILLE – A Tusculum University senior graphic design major who has always enjoyed an affinity for creativity will present his diverse art during a show Thursday, Dec. 12, in the Clem Allison Gallery of the Shulman Center.
This photo of billiard balls will be part of RJ Brooks’ show.
RJ Brooks welcomes the public to examine his work when he holds his show “Out of the Box” from 5-7 p.m. on Tusculum’s Greeneville campus. In line with the title, Brooks will present a variety of work he has developed as an undergraduate student. Guests will have an opportunity to review some of his acrylic and watercolor paintings, as well as his sculptures, blind contours and color photographs.
One of his paintings is a train station in Magdeburg, Germany, a city Brooks, four other students and assistant professor Bill Bledsoe visited in March to perform artwork. He also has two paintings of scholars in chairs with others in the background and a sculpture of an older man who is seated.
In addition, Brooks will include six blind contours in which the artist makes a drawing while looking only at a separate image. The artist then traces over the drawing three times and defines his best lines. One of Brooks’ paintings was originally a blind contour.
The color photographs will feature billiard balls in the pocket of a pool table and of the wooden players in a foosball table, both are which are housed at Tusculum.
This photo of wooden foosball players in a foosball table will be part of RJ Brooks’ show.
The show is the last element of Brooks’ studies to complete before he graduates from Tusculum Saturday, Dec. 14. Then he embarks on the next phase of his life, where he hopes to develop products that help people. He recalls being inspired by the commercials for OxiClean, a stain remover, and hopes that as his career progresses, he will make something that others find particularly useful.
“I feel like I’ve always been on the creative side of things,” Brooks said. “I’ve liked to design logos, and someday I would like to create a fashion line and make clothes. I felt as if graphic design was the best fit for me, but I also want to show people that I am interested in other elements of art as well.”