All of my years as a professional party entertainer in Los Angeles helped me fall in love further with everyone’s birthdays including my own. I love the celebration of being alive:)

This year my birthday happens to fall on one of my favorite nights of the month–the Laguna Beach Artwalk! Beyond the sharing of art, artwalk  is always a celebration of connections.  I love chatting with new people or catching up with returning gallery patrons.  I especially adore the artists I get to exhibit with at Lu Martin Galleries.

New in the Gallery:

Whether you get to Lu Martin Galleries tonight for the Laguna Beach Artwalk, visit another day or feel like ordering a painting site unseen–here is what is new:

For more information:

Lu Martin Galleries
372 N. Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Returned from Art Exhibit in Rome 

I’m back from the most recent trip to Rome with a happy inspired heart. 

My solo exhibit “una prospettiva eclettica,” curated by Alfio Borghese, toured to Area Contesa Arte this past January. The gallery is on Via Margutta, a street famous for art and galleries in Rome, between the Spanish steps and Piazza del Popolo.  Only giant smiles could express the pride I felt to experience sharing art in such a magical setting.

I laughed a lot too.

When I arrived at the opening reception, Extra TV was there to interview me in Italian.  My normally calm state at a reception bubbled a bit with nervous energy in response to the surprise, yet the former theater performer in me took joy in figuring this out. With a lot of laughter and patience from Iolanda Russo, the reporter from Extra TV, we finally captured several sentences in Italian. I shared about the significance of painting Los Angeles while in Italy and how those experiences live within the story of each painting.

(curator Alfio Borghese getting interviewed by Iolanda Russo of Extra TV)

(above: Alfio Borghese presenting at the reception. I’m standing next to the owners of the gallery, the Zurlo sisters.  I also made an impromptu speech in front of the crowd in Italian, another accomplishment since two years ago when  asked to speak at my opening, I mainly said “grazie mille” and laughed:)

To see more photos from the exhibition  on my website click here.
or to see more pics in the facebook album click here.

If you are going to Rome and would like to visit the gallery: 

Area Contesa Arte
Via Margutta 90
00187 Roma

 

Bucket List Item Checked Off :

Do you remember my recent painting of Ghent, Belgium?  

I’d never been to Belgium when I fell in love with the neighborhood of Huidvettershoek through a photo by @lammerting on Instagram.  I wrote to the photographer, Steve Lammertyn, in 2013 with a request to paint his photo. He kindly and happily agreed.  In 2016, I finally finished “Reflections of Ghent.” 

Then I put visiting this location in Belgium on my bucket list. 

I did it! I did it! I did it!

With the help of my friend Erika who now lives in Belgium, I made a 24 hour visit to Belgium after my Rome exhibit.  Erika picked me up at an airport in France and drove me to Ghent.  Then we walked the streets and messaged @lammerting to give us better directions…

We arrived:) 3.5 years after I first saw the photo. 

Steve warned us it would look different since he hadn’t taken his photo in the winter.

It was absolutely magical to stand in front of a place I had spent hours getting to know through a photo. I felt a deep kinship to the place. It was a true accomplishment to arrive.

THEN…we went and met the photographer @lammerting for hot chocolate!!! Technically he and Erika drank coffee. 

Take note that we are standing in front of a display of Barbies at the coffee shop owned by one of his friends. 

What a fun game…how one little photo became an adventure. 

To be part of this adventure, the original painting is available at Lu Martin Galleries in Laguna Beach, CA. Use the PROMO code HotChocolate to get a special rate….If Lu doesn’t know what you are talking about because I am making this up as I type…tell her to call me:) I think it would be even cooler if the person who buys this painting then puts going to Ghent on their bucket list..and then goes…and drinks hot chocolate.

“Reflections of Ghent” ink, oil and acrylic on canvas  30″ x 30″ x 2.75″  by Brooke Harker
 

Ready for paintings of Paris?

If you are one of the many people who has asked for paintings of Paris…I now have lots of photos for inspiration and I’m so excited to paint Paris!!! 

Be sure to let me know if you  have a request for a specific Paris location that you want to commission.  I will choose the locations and sizes that I feel like painting  unless you speak up and say “Hey!” followed by a description of  what dimensions fit your wall and budget. 

I also suggest adding “Drink hot chocolate in Paris” to your bucket list…amazing beyond words in certain cafes…

Specifically go to this one! 

Thursday March 2nd:  Laguna Beach Art Walk  6-9pm!

Meet up with some of my favorite artists at Lu Martin Galleries during the Laguna Beach Artwalk. It’s the first Thursday of March!…It’s also my birthday!! Come have fun and see art:)

with artists Dasha Guilliam, Tesa Michaels & Jennifer Verge–all represented by Lu Martin Galleries.

Lu Martin Galleries
372 N. Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Happy New Year Everyone! Sending fabulous wishes to you in 2017 and hope you enjoyed your holidays!

The paintings created for my solo exhibit, “una prospettiva eclecttica” (an eclectic perspective), curated by Alfio Borghese, will tour to a third location this month!  Via Margutta is a street famous for art and galleries in the heart of Rome.  I will arrive in Rome Saturday Jan 14th and am excited to see the city in the winter. 

If you find yourself in Rome in the next couple of weeks or have friends in the area–please join us at the opening reception or send your friends!  The gallery is open on other days  Monday-Saturday 10:30-7:30.

Area Contesa Arte
Via Margutta 90
00187 Roma

Here are the details in a facebook invite: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/417834808553082/

What of Paris would you like to see in  a painting? Send your ideas!

You may remember when I painted a 7ft black and white of the Eiffel tower several years ago. I continuously get requests for more Paris scenes…especially from my favorite art Fairy Godmother, Lu Martin (at Lu Martin Galleries in Laguna Beach)….So I will have 4 days in Paris on the way back from my exhibit in Rome.

 with the original of “Eiffel Tower” ink & acrylic on canvas, 84″ x 38″ by Brooke Harker -SOLD

What’s new in homes:

To all the people who think there is no place for a 7.5″ painting–stairwells often have high ceilings:) Here is a shot of Corner of Pearl in it’s new home:)

It makes me so happy when collectors send me photos of paintings in their environment…if you have one or more of my paintings–I would love to see pictures!

Smaller paintings also look good in stairwells! By smaller, Hollywood Innocents below, is  36″ x 36″ which I think of as small…

Paintings can go above pianos…next to bookshelves…so many ideas!
Here is Kevin in the City (Orpheum Theatre, Downtown Los Angeles) in it’s new home:)

Kevin in the City  84″ x 56″ ink, oil and acrylic on canvas  by Brooke Harker

What’s new in the Gallery:

If you haven’t been to Laguna Beach lately or ever, you are missing out on meeting my amazing gallery owners. Yes, you will get to see art and the ocean…getting to meet Lu Martin who is almost in her 28th year as a gallery is worth the trip…I kinda think the gallery is a front for her being an angel.

If you would like a break from winter…take a peek into these southern California views…

Lagunatics Lounge 54″ x 54″ ink, oil and acrylic on canvas  by Brooke Harker
To read more about this painting, Click Here.

I even painted this one behind the gallery and took breaks to cross the street and jump in the ocean.

Technically this next painting hasn’t gone on a transportation adventure to the gallery yet…however Greg Martin will have access to get this while I’m in Europe if you see this on your wall….remember what I said about the stairwells…

Boulevard Smile  58″ x 60″ ink, oil and acrylic on canvas  by Brooke Harker

Here is a behind the scenes shot so you can get a feel for the scale:

To read more about Boulevard Smile  Click Here.

What’s new in the Studio:

If you want to call dibs on this 48″ x 48″ painting of Venice when it’s finished…contact Lu Martin Galleries

Here is one in process which depicts the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine. 

Another great place to put paintings is next to cute cats…here is my studio assistant Sherman pouring on the cuteness as usual.

Original Holiday Cards for Collectors 2016/15 went out:

This year the original holiday cards for collectors went went out in a bi-annual edition shockingly before the new year.  If you are a collector and didn’t get a card–I probably don’t have your address or am mad at you…just kidding. Some of the cards came back to me too…so feel free to update me with a snail mail address. 

Making these cards is a bit like being a kid again and is a great reminder to me of so many people to be thankful for, whose support contributes to me getting to do what I do.

Click here to stalk your card, see all the cards, or read more about the process and intentions behind this project. It is a labor of love.

Feel free to follow my travels to Rome & Paris on social media–also there will be a day in Belgium:)

Arrivederci and Au Revoir!