Frank Leonard Brooks - Meet the Artists (Menu A to G) - Canadian War Artists - Exhibitions

Born in London, Frank Brooks arrived in Canada in 1912. Primarily self-taught, he did study at the Ontario College of Art and taught at the Central Technical School. He became an associate member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1939.

He joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve in May 1943. During his posting as a war artist (August 1944-May 1946), he painted the movements of an aircraft carrier in the waters of Scotland and the activities of mine sweepers and motor torpedo boats in the English channel off Normandy.

After the war, he obtained a grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs to study art in Mexico. He taught for several years in San Miguel de Allende, north of Mexico City. Brooks has published a number of works on watercolour and oil painting techniques.

PA-112656
Lieutenant Frank Leonard Brooks, from the
Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve, in Kemp, England.
30 May 1945.