The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-12
WOMAN PAINTERs MIsFORTUNES
Miss Brooks Giving m Exhibition Of Work
Done Before Her Injury.

Miss Marie Brooks, an English painter
who came here eighteen years ago from
London, is giving an exhibition Of her work
at l4 West Eightiath street, the furnished
room house in which she lives and works.
Fortune has not been kind to Miss Brooks,
For sixteen e rs she worked hard, u p
porting herelf by her pictures, meeting,
she says. disa ppointment after disa ppoint-
nlent, but managing to get along somehow.
Then she met with an accident which
crippled her right hand, She kept at her
work r%esolutely, painting with her left,
refusing to give up the struggle. Now her
left hand has given out through overwork,
She Ii q pluoky little woman and still man.
ages to be merry and cheerful.
Although she says quite frankly, Il
can't paint any moro with my right hand
and l won't be able to use my left for long
time. So, you see, unless I can sell my pict-
ures which you see hers | really DOM
know what Is to become Of me-, ha w tried
30 hard, too, and 1t hasn't been an easy
fight to win a living in New York
Miss Brooks was born In Middle sex
England-she won't say Just when. 81
haven't got to the point when I ave to tell
my age she said with a laugh,
She was a pupil Of the South Kensin gton
School and Of the Royal Academy School
and made, she recalls with a great deal OF
pride. striking progress.
Il had six pictures hung at the Royal
Academy exhibition the first time I sent
in" said Miss Brooks proudly. Wasn't
that something for a girl to accomplish
That was before I had time to get into the
life class, too"
She came hero eighteen years ago, be-
lieving that America was the place fol her
in which to win fame and Fortune, She
sold pictures and achieved q measure OF
didn't come: For seventeen years she had
her studio in the Sherwood Studio build
ing at 50 West Fifty-seventh street. Her
recent misfortunes compelled her to give
that up and take a furnished room on the
third door OF the West Eightieth street
house.
On january 8. 1905, Miss Brooks was
making her way home through a storm.
She was swept of her feet by the wind and
fell heavily, striking on her right arm and
breaking IL. Tn fracture was improperly
pain and trouble, the bone had to be re-
broken and reset. The second operation
was performed too soon, 80 that the tract
ure was slow in healing. 1t still troubles
her.
WIN tD6 DTOken flBup tIm tD5 bet 10
work painting with her left hand, working
twice as hard and as long, to make up for
the awkwardness and nexperience. Be-
sides painting she had to do all her other
work with the left hand, and recently It
gave out. Then she fell and dislocated
the thumb,
The walls Of her room are almost covered
by the twenty oil paintings or exhibition.
.This picture" said Miss Brooks, pointing
to one OF the larger ones, Il painted in Pic
cadilly. l saw one day q crowd Of flower
women In an omnibus, coming from Covent
Garden. They took the bus out Of the road
and held II for me whileI painted II and the
flower women. 1t is called Down Picca-
dilly.''
There Is one which abe calls Mental
Confict"--a woman's head on a background
Of blacks and grays, doubt, ndecision, ir-
resolution expressed In the troubled eyes.
There are two studies Of negro girls,
entitled Smelling Corn II was exhibited
at the Charleston Exposition and took a
medal. The other she calls "~Shucking
Com and was exhibited at the Tennessee
Exposition.
Isabel. Is a study OF q woman, slender,
beautiful in face and form, dressed In some
thin stuff Of black. There In q portrait Of q
child which Miss Brooks calls Rosebud"
and several pictures OF little girls. In the
collection there is also q portrait OF DR..
quarter length portrait,
AN that I ask ssid Miss Brooks, .is
come here and look at mine.'