Brooke Cormier: A Conversation
We spoke to Brooke Cormier, a twenty-five-year-old professional painter from Toronto, Canada, about her career beginnings, inspiration, techniques, and social media management.
Lively, Hilltop Glow (2017)
24” x 36”
Oil on canvas
Ms. Cormier, welcome to The Baram House! Please give our readers a short introduction.
My name is Brooke Cormier and I am a full-time painter from Toronto, Canada, currently based in Vienna, Austria. I am twenty-five-years old and have been painting professionally for almost four years now.
Tell us a little about your artistic journey. How did you begin painting and what enabled you to continue your art until now?
I have always been a creative person; things like drawing and painting just make sense to me. However, as a young adult, I was not aware that being an artist was a viable career option and was influenced to take a “safer” path. I went to university for Landscape Architecture, painting and doing small commissions throughout the four-year program, until I graduated in 2016 and had a decision to make. I had experienced success with my art in the time I had dedicated to it outside of my studies, and after meeting my art mentor, Tim Packer, I was feeling confident enough to take the plunge. I told myself (and my parents) that I would try the whole “full-time artist” thing for one year, and if it didn’t work out, I would use my degree to get another job. Needless to say, I haven’t looked back!
In that first year, I built myself a website, started my social media pages, created a body of work to enter into juried art shows and festivals, met with my mentor on a bi-weekly basis to track my progress, and completed commissions for people who slowly expanded outside of my circle of family and friends. I managed to build an audience of art appreciators, aspiring artists and art collectors through various online platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and my website, which has helped my sales tremendously and has enabled me to keep painting.
The Rapids (2015)
16” x 20”
Acrylic on canvas
How has your relationship with painting changed over time? Do you experiment often in your work or maintain a steady flow?
My relationship with painting has changed slightly because it went from being a hobby that I loved to do for fun, to my livelihood and something I need to do in order to pay the bills. Regardless of this fact, my love for the art has never changed, only my approach is a bit different. I think that because I rely on my paintings to make a living, it has prevented me from doing as much experimenting as I would like. There is always a fear of investing my time and energy into an experimental project and not being compensated financially. So, I often find myself “maintaining a steady flow” and painting subjects that I am more confident will sell. Though, at this point in my career, I am not too troubled by this because those subjects happen to be the ones I love to paint anyway!
Regrowth (2019)
24 cm x 30 cm
Acrylic on canvas
What inspires you about the natural world and why do you portray it in your art?
I am so inspired by the natural world because being in nature can evoke so many different emotions; the peaceful and almost eerie mist coming off a lake in early morning, the romance of the sun setting behind a hill of daisies, the playfulness of light streaming through a buzzing forest. I really enjoy the challenge of taking these experiences and translating them on to canvas.
What are the biggest technical challenges in painting landscapes or nature scenes?
I would say a big challenge would be depicting depth in a landscape and knowing how to achieve that in the medium being used. I often switch between oils and acrylics and have to constantly remind myself how each medium behaves so that I know which approach to use. Acrylics dry very quickly so I am constantly layering, while working with oils is less layering and more like putting the pieces together like a puzzle.
November (2020)
60 cm x 80 cm
Oil on canvas
Packing Snow (2018)
16” x 12”
Oil on canvas
We’re curious about your method of priming. What surface materials do you prefer to use (e.g. linen, wood, or canvas) and how do you prime it for your very first coat of colored paint?
This is an interesting question because I am actually beginning to experiment more with my painting surfaces! I am in the midst of finding a surface and preparation technique that works best for me; however, in general I primarily work on canvas. Before I begin my paintings, I prime my canvas with at least three layers of gesso. I do not sand these layers because I like having the impression of textured brush strokes before I start painting.
Once this is completely dry, I usually then lay down an imprimitura (the colour depends on what I am working on). I find that having a toned canvas can take away some of the apprehension of painting on a glaring white canvas... it makes things a little easier to get started! After the imprimitura, I do a quick underpainting where I lay out the compositions and values, which essentially acts as a map for when I begin the actual painting.
You are only twenty-five years old and already have a massive social media following and a successful business with a global reach. What methods have helped you engage with your audience and build a network of followers and buyers?
I put a lot of effort into my social media, making sure I am producing quality content on a daily basis (it could almost be a full time job in itself!), though I have also been very lucky with acquiring the reach that I have. My artwork being featured on different platforms like Reddit, Instagram and Facebook has really increased my exposure and has brought me an audience that appreciates what I do; but keeping an engaged audience requires constant evolving, consistency, and creativity.
Pursuing a career as an artist can be an incredibly challenging path, riddled with doubts, disappointments, financial difficulties, and rejections. What is your best advice for young artists just starting out in the business?
My best advice would be to cultivate perseverance and discipline over everything else. Persevere through the doubts and the setbacks and use your self-discipline to perfect your craft and accomplish your goals. Realize that there is so much more to being an artist than producing artwork, you need to acquire a business mindset and some thick skin! All in all, though it is a bit of a cliché, believe in yourself and practice really does make perfect!
Algonquin Park, Misty Morning (2017)
24” x 18”
Acrylic on canvas
Galeairy Lake, Quiet Morning (2018)
24” x 36”
Acrylic on canvas
Brooke Cormier is a 25-year-old professional painter from Toronto, Canada. She has always had a passion for creating, and after graduating from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture in 2016, she began painting full time with the guidance of her expert mentor, Tim Packer. With a professionally developed skill-set, Brooke's painting style is constantly evolving, both in subject matter and stylistic technique, while maintaining a consistent playfulness and serenity in all her work.