Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 16

Leonard Brooks
Large Canadian Mexican Modernist Figurative Abstract Collage Painting Landscape

1984

About the Item

"First Rain at San Miguel de Allende", mixed media, acrylic and collage on canvas, signed lower left, titled, signed and dated 1984 verso, depicting a verdant tropical landscape with a pool with koi fish, in a n abstracted view with in an oak bullnose frame with burlap mat and gold liner, frame size: 53" x 37", canvas size: 48" x 32". Leonard Brooks (Canadian-Mexican artist) was born in Enfield, London, England, in 1911. He emigrated to Toronto, Canada with his parents. after seeing a lecture on Canadian art by Arthur Lismer, in which the Group of Seven painter described his love for the natural beauty surrounding them he decided he was going to become a painter. He took evening art classes at the Toronto Central Technical School (c. 1928); at the Ontario College of Art for six months under Frank Johnston. He then travelled and painted in England, France, Spain and in the United States at Woodstock, New York. On his return to Canada he settled in Toronto and in 1935 married Reva Silverman. He taught drawing, painting and graphic arts at the Northern Vocational School and was active in art circles and participated in most of the major exhibitions in Canada, and the U.S. and in the Canadian Section at the 1936 World's Fair. He began painting activities on the Great Lakes around 1939, visiting various docks and many of the ships that arrived and departed from the Great Lake ports. During World War II he left his teaching post in 1943 to enlist in the Navy (RCNVR) as an Able Seaman (1943). He was promoted to Petty Officer, then to Sub-Lieutenant in August of 1944. In September was appointed Official War Artist. Overseas he went aboard warships to paint the activities of minesweepers, motor torpedo boats off the coast of Normandy, in the Channel, off the East Coast and on the aircraft carrier HMS Puncher in waters off Scotland. On his return to Canada he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Following his army discharge he went to Mexico on a D.V.A. grant to study and decided to take up residence there with his wife Reva. The couple were early members of what became a well known colony of artists in that town, other Canadian artists such as York Wilson, Fred Taylor, Michael Forster and Fred Powell followed him there. He studied under Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros, while his wife Reva pursued photography. Their impressions of Mexico appeared in Canadian Art (Spring, 1950). Critic Rose MacDonald in the Evening Telegram wrote, "Like Siqueiros he paints in the abstract only as an exercise with a view to clarification, believing that this is the purpose of abstract painting . . . ." Since that time his figurative work evolved from abstract, to non-objective, to free-form collage acrylics with rich texture. Some of his paintings have been transposed into large tapestry works by five Mexican weavers under his direction. Leonard and Reva held a joint exhibition of their works in a number of centres including Eaton's Fine Art Galleries, Tor. (1949). Leonard Brooks has worked in a variety of media over the years including oils, acrylics, water colours, casein, duco, polymer, wax, and graphic mediums. He has written a number of books on painting techniques including: Watercolor A Challenge (1957); Oil Painting Traditional and New (1959); Wash Drawing and Casein (1961); Painting and Understanding Abstract Art (1964); Painter's Workshop (1969); Oil Painting, Basic and New Techniques (1971). He has had a lifelong love of music, is an accomplished player of the violin and has given free lessons to local Mexican children. He eventually was encouraged to head the music department at the Bellas Artes in San Miguel and as a result of his activity in music, an annual festival of chamber music is held which attracts players and listeners from around the world. He has held many solo shows during his career and his paintings have been exhibited at the following: Eaton's Fine Art Galleries, Tor.; Roberts Gallery, Tor.; the Cowie Galleries, L.A., Calif.; Childs Gal., Boston, Mass.; Ohio Univ., Athens; Kenyon College; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, San Francisco; San Antonio Biennial Interamericana, Mexico and at the 2nd Annual exhibition at San Miguel (1960) where he won 1st Prize. He is represented in the following collections: LAG, Lond., Ont.; U. Guelph; AGO, Tor.; NGC, Ott.; Can. War Museum, Ott.; Dartmouth College, N.S.; Worcester Art Museum, Mass.; Mus. of Modern Art, Mexico City; Ohio U., Athens; Slosberg Collection, Boston and in many private collections in Canada, Mexico and the United States. His teaching experience includes: Ohio U., Athens; Doon Sch. of Art, Ont.; UBC; Art Inst., San Antonio, Texas; Wells College, Aurora, N.Y. His wife Reva Silverman Brooks, began photographing his work to make a record, then gradually expanded her interest to record the Mexican people and their land. In 1952, Reva Brooks sold one of her most famous photographs, a picture of a mother grieving over her dead child, to Edward Steichen, the curator of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, and in 1955 the work was included in the MOMA's The Family of Man exhibition, one of the first landmark major exhibitions of photography at the Museum of Modern Art and the Lincoln Center. Her work won admiration and endorsements from the leading names in photography, including Edward Weston, Ansel Adams and Edward Steichen. The San Francisco Museum of Art chose Reva Brooks as one of the top 50 women photographers in history. His affiliations have been: CSGA (1936-52); ARCA (1939) now RCA; OSA (1939-57); FCA (1941); Calif. W.C. Soc. (1949); CGP (1957-63); A&L Club, Tor. Travelled in Europe (c. 1932-34) (1961); England (1944-45); Greece (1967); Italy (1971).
More From This SellerView All
  • Abstract Mixed Media Collage Oil Painting Sports, Leather Baseball Mitts
    By Patrick LoCicero
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Title: (Baseball) Mits 25.5" W x 25.5" H x 2.25" framed; canvas measures 24" W x 24" H. Provenance: The Rails Collection, Washington, DC (with their label verso) This depicts floating baseball gloves inn an abstract pattern. This is not signed on the front and might be signed verso. We have not examined out of frame. Patrick LoCicero was born in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1959. He attended Youngstown State University, Ohio, and the Columbus College of Art and Design. He completed a B.F.A. at Ohio State University in 1982 and an M.F.A. at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1986. His paintings, installations, prints, and multimedia work have been shown in California, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. LoCicero's richly layered imagery is characterized by unusual juxtapositions of everyday objects and classical motifs, which play with the viewer's perception of materials and subjects. LoCicero’s assemblage paintings combine collage with painting. The overlap and collage elements relate directly to the images he depicts, guiding him in his choice of subjects, and come from a variety of sources including the Kama Sutra, antique children’s books...
    Category

    21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Laid Paper

  • Don Giffin Finish Fetish Abstract Alkyd Pigment Painting Los Angeles, California
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Don Giffin (American, 1948-2003) Phone in the Desert, 1999 Mixed media painting Hand signed Don Giffin, titled and dated (verso) 76 x 52 inches. (including ...
    Category

    1990s Minimalist Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Alkyd, Laid Paper, Acrylic, Panel, Pigment

  • Abstract Mixed Media Painting African American Woman Artist Cheryl Warrick
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Cheryl Warrick (American, b. 1956), "By Ones By Twos" Acrylic mixed media on panel, 1999, Hand signed in pencil, titled and dated verso, gallery label...
    Category

    1990s Contemporary Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Mixed Media, Acrylic, Canvas

  • Mixed Media Large Pop Art Painting Drawing Brian Kenny NYC Street Art 2015
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Brian Kenny, (German-American, 1982-) MIxed Media Painting with Drawing, Oil or Acrylic on Canvas. Hand signed On Verso and Dated 2015, NYC Dimensions: Sight- 30" x 24", Frame- 36" x 30" Brian Kenny (born 1982, Heidelberg, Germany) is a NYC-based American multidisciplinary artist exhibited in galleries, museums, theaters and alternative venues in the US, Canada, Russia, Israel and across Europe. In 2004 Brian began an ongoing collaboration with artist Slava Mogutin as SUPERM, and in 2016 with writer Rich Juzwiak as BOYFRIEND HOUSE. Using an array of mediums including drawing, painting, sculpture, textile, video and performance, Brian’s artwork is bright and vividly expressionistic; often autobiographical and reflective of his current states of mind which include themes of his queer identity, shifting societal perceptions about gender, sexuality and politics, urban living and free-associative wanderings of thought and creative experimentation. New York-based artist Brian Kenny’s work is a visually striking exploration of gender, sexuality, and politics in contemporary North America. Known for his experimental and expressionistic practice, Brian mixes mediums such as painting, illustration, collage, sculpture, and textiles – oftentimes all at once. Brian’s foundation in drawing is evident across his portfolio, with nearly every piece incorporating some signature scribblings from the artist. He has experimented with drawing, collage, photography, performance and, more recently, painting. “All the other mediums I’m exploring like, painting, textile art, and animation all branch out from drawing,” he explains. This focus is what makes Brian’s vast collection of work all feel so cohesive. "Both of my parents were in the US military and we moved around a lot in the US. But most of the places I lived were rural, far from big cities and art museums, so I had no idea who Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, Chuck Close, David Hockney or Damien Hirst were. The few small art museums I visited as a child were full of old-school oil paintings; all life-like portraits, rural landscapes and historical recreations. It wasn’t until I met Slava Mogutin and moved to New York that I began to meet artists, see exhibitions at art galleries of living artists near my age, and tour lot of contemporary art museums like MoMA and begin learning about contemporary art history". Brian says. “I’m definitely not a minimalist and lean toward more narrative and figurative artwork than abstraction or decoration”. Minimalist, he is not: Brian’s work pops with vibrant colours, characters and shapes, evoking a Warholian play on pop art culture. Kenny’s signature line drawing style is reminiscent of Keith Haring and LA Ortiz and evokes comparisons to early Jean Michel Basquiat. Brian's commercial and fashion work includes art and design commissions and collaborations with Onitsuka Tiger (Japan...
    Category

    2010s Contemporary Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Permanent Marker

  • Large Abstract Oil Painting Miami Woman Modernist Lynne Golob Gelfman
    By Lynne Golob Gelfman
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Signed, dated and titled verso. Gelfman is often praised for using unconventional approaches during the creation process. This intricate mixed media piece is no exception. Her use ...
    Category

    1990s Contemporary Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

  • MIxed Media Collage Assemblage Abstract Painting Pioneering Female Aviator
    By Vera Simons
    Located in Surfside, FL
    This is an Abstract Expressionist torn and folded paper painted collage. The paper is metallised through some process. they are very luminous and beautiful. it is mounted on heavy ...
    Category

    1970s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Paint, Mixed Media, Laid Paper

You May Also Like
  • Untitled painting for ACRIA "The only rose without a thorn is friendship" Signed
    By Donald Baechler
    Located in New York, NY
    DONALD BAECHLER Untitled painting for ACRIA, 1996 Mixed media with ball point pen, acrylic paint, industrial varnish and paper collage on canvas board Hand Signed and Dated. Framed with official label verso. artist frame included Measurements: Framed: 13.4 inches (vertical) x 10.8 (horizontal) x 1.25 (width) Artwork: 8 inches (vertical) x 6 inches (horizontal) Makes a fantastic gift! This unique signed collage by Donald Baechler is one of a series of unique pieces the artist made to benefit ACRIA a New York-based charity that supports AIDS victims. ACRIA, pioneers of HIV research, prevention & awareness, have now merged with the Gay...
    Category

    1990s Pop Art Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Varnish, Ink, Acrylic, Mixed Media, Laid Paper, Permanent Marker

  • Face Value
    By Richard Kalina
    Located in New York, NY
    Richard Kalina Face Value, 1992 Collage and mixed media (flasche) and acrylic on laid paper painted on canvas Signed on the verso; also bears Max Protech Gallery Label, Unique Frame included Hand signed, dated and titled on the verso with original label from the legendary Max Protech Gallery, as well as Christie's NYC labels. A dazzling mixed media painting that looks so much better in person. Provenance Max Protech Gallery Christie's Inc (see labels) Measurements: Frame: 15.5 x 23.5 x 1 inch Artwork: 15 x 23 inches About Richard Kalina: Richard Kalina was born in 1946 and studied at the University of Pennsylvania. He began exhibiting in 1969 and has regularly shown his work in museums and galleries, both nationally and internationally. ... Richard Kalina is Professor of Art at Fordham University in New York, where he teaches studio art and art history. This is a gorgeous work that would look beautiful in any home or office. His works are included in museum collections such as the Arkansas Art Center, Grey Art Gallery, Guild Hall Museum, Fogg Art Museum, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Milwaukee Art...
    Category

    1990s Abstract Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Laid Paper, Vinyl

  • "Paradise" Contemporary Colorful Fluid Mixed Media Painting on Circular Canvas
    By Corinne Natel
    Located in New York, NY
    A dramatic circular mixed media on canvas painting with wonderful details and pops of pink, green and gold. We are enamored by the stark contrast, as the shape of the paint takes on ...
    Category

    2010s Contemporary Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Laid Paper, Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic

  • Times Square VIII gorgeous unique mixed media painting by renowned female artist
    By Thelma Appel
    Located in New York, NY
    THELMA APPEL Times Square VIII (Keep It Wild), 2016-2017 Acrylic and Collage on Canvas Hand signed, titled and dated on the back Framed This is a unique painting This work was exhib...
    Category

    2010s Contemporary Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Mixed Media, Acrylic, Laid Paper, Canvas

  • Untitled (abstract 8)
    By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul
    Located in Mississauga, Ontario
    Contemporary abstract painting. This subdued geometric pattern is made up from individually hand cut paper motifs, covered with layers of paint to create a subtle tone on tone textur...
    Category

    21st Century and Contemporary Minimalist Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Mixed Media, Laid Paper, Canvas, Acrylic

  • "Hey Did We Scratch?" - Abstract Expressionist Composition
    Located in Soquel, CA
    "Hey Did We Scratch?" - Abstract Expressionist Composition Detailed and layered composition by Leroy W. Parker (American, 1941). This piece is divided into a checkerboard, with a variety of overlaid patterns and textures. There are several types of handmade paper applied to the canvas, likely made by Parker himself. Signed "Leroy Wheeler Parker" in the lower right corner. "#1" and an up arrow are written on verso. Tag on verso with artist info, title, media, and date. No frame, but the edges of the canvas are painted for a frame-less display. Leroy W. Parker (American, b. 1941) is an artist from Oklahoma who now resides in Lafayette, California. Parker earned his BFA in painting from the California College of Arts and Crafts in 1966, and then went on to earn his MFA in 1968 from the same institution. He is a Professor of Art at San Jose State University. He has taught classes in fine arts, life drawing, ceramics, paper making (which he instituted in 1984), and sculpture since 1969. Parker has also served on the State Art Commission for sculptural grants. One of his pieces is held in the San Jose Museum of Art. Selected Exhibitions: Drawings and Paintings - ACCI Gallery, Berkeley, CA - 1974 “Artistry in Clay” - Forge Patio Art Gallery, Lafayette, CA - 1980 “A Most Elegant Show” - Sunshine Art Gallery, Fair Oaks, CA - 1982 “Flora” - Harcourts Contemporary, San Francisco, CA - 1983 Idea Gallery, Sacramento, CA - 1985 “Multi-Media Man” - Sacramento Center for Textile Arts, Sacramento, CA - 1994 “The Art of the Family” - Works Gallery, San Jose, CA - 1999 Artist’s Statement: I was born in Eagletown, Oklahoma to Southern Baptist parents, and my father was a preacher. We were two boys and six girls in the family. The most mundane things were magical and special to me. I liked to draw, color, make things, and plant things. I loved the woods and the earth, and watching storms with thunder and lightning. We moved from Oklahoma when I was 11. In the late 1950s, I attended Oakland Technical High School where I met artist Sam Richardson...
    Category

    1990s Abstract Geometric Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Paper, Acrylic, Laid Paper, Color Pencil, Handmade Paper

Recently Viewed

View All