Conversations with Brooklyn Compton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brooklyn Compton.

Hi Brooklyn, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My love for drawing began when I was just four years old. The inspiration? Cartoons. Whenever I would finish my work from school or just chill on the weekends, I would always find myself watching cartoons like Dora, Little Bill, and Blues Clues. To an adult, most cartoons may seem childish or like pointless, silly entertainment, but for me, they were life-changing. I was glued to the screen because of my curiosity. I was mesmerized by the way the characters moved and wondered who decided what they would wear and how they would they look, even what process went into how the treehouse would look. All sorts of questions would run through my mind and lead to me picking up a pencil to draw out my own conclusions. I started drawing the characters from the shows, then copying doll packaging art to eventually learning techniques on YouTube. By 12 years old, I knew that art was my true passion, and despite the other hobbies I tried, art has been the only vocation I wanted to steadily improve on. Now, at 18, I am at the apex of my high school career and am about to enter my new life as a college student. Instead of pursuing a career in solely art (as the younger me would’ve wanted) I have aspirations to become an art therapist and help other people communicate through the visual arts and hopefully find their love for it as well.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Doing art has never been an easy road. For many who may not understand what goes into producing pieces, drawing may seem as simple as making lines on paper, adding a few colors here and there, and TADA, you have a masterpiece! That misconception is so very far from the truth. Despite my love of it and all that it offers me, it can be overwhelming and exceptionally competitive. I have experienced artist’s block, burnout, trouble with comparisons to other pieces I’ve created as well as other artists and have also at times, had such a distaste for my own work that I would believe that I’d lost the ability to draw. The obstacles I face are self-made, and it is through working on my self-confidence and finding the time to practice that I have overcome many of them. After all, it is the mind and self-doubt that restricts many people from doing what they love the most.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Sketching is how I began, but these days I’m heavy into digital and I’m also exploring mixed media with yarn, watercolors, charcoal, and color pencils, I am most proud of my pieces that include mixed media, By experimenting with different mediums, I can create more interactive pieces, or even add a different type of detail that makes someone want to stare and examine it longer.

What sets me apart from others is that I really had no formal training. As mentioned earlier, I learned about %85 of my skills from YouTube. Therefore, I feel my pieces are more instinctual than “proper” or technical, which is why I don’t consider myself an illustrator.

I’m most proud of my ability to balance the dichotomy of my academics while continuing to expand and appreciate my passion for art – something I feel will serve me as I move into my university studies and professional career.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Despite my introverted personality, I used to be in theater and at one pointed wanted to be an actress when I was younger. I haven’t performed since elementary, however I still love the theater and listen to many musical soundtracks in my past time.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: lavenderbronx

Image Credits
Brooklyn Compton