Over the past few years, Kelsey Brookes has worked to a place where his art is known in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, and beyond, but his lack of major attention in his hometown of San Diego doesn't seem to bother him at all. For Kelsey, San Diego holds the elements of home and it is obvious that his pursuit of success in art has little to do with recognition or significance, but rather stems from a desire to enjoy life fully and spend his time in meaningful ways. His painting is full of passion, but it doesn't overshadow his passions for surfing, adventuring, and sharing time with friends, whether new or old. To see that balance is a reminder that good art is an expression of deep and interesting experiences, and the evidence of time well-spent drips out beautifully on Kelsey's canvases.



When did you decide that you wanted to pursue making art full-time and how has the process been?

I started full time in 2006. I honestly had no idea how it would happen. I had confidence in the fact that I could cover rent by doing free lance illustration work but that was as far as I had thought. Mostly I just knew that I wanted to have fun in my life and what I was doing at the time for money was not very fun.

Read our full interview with Kelsey... http://www.sezio.org/feature/Kelsey-Brookes.aspx