The Water Diviners:

1994Purchased for the Camosun College Art Collection by the Camosun College Cultural Enhancement Committee from the Fran Willis Gallery, Victoria, BC.Artist and educator Charles Brookman was born in London, England. He began studying art at Camberwell and Horsey art colleges in London. He worked for several years as an interior designer for Sanderson’s London. In 1958 he immigrated to Canada, settling in Vancouver in 1959 where he continued to work as an interior designer for Sanderson’s Vancouver firm. In 1967 Brookman moved to Victoria and began working as an art teacher in a private school. During this time he continued to paint and exhibit his work, while simultaneously completing his Fine Arts Degree at the University of Victoria. He also obtained a Diploma of Education and began teaching art in public schools in 1974. After retiring from teaching in 1985 Brookman moved first to Saltspring Island, next to the West Coast of Vancouver Island, then to Summerland, and finally settling in Victoria where he remained active in his art practice until his death in 1994. Brookman’s work has been displayed in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout British Columbia, receiving honourable mentions at several juried shows. During his career, Brookman illustrated three books and had his drawings published in the Simon Fraser University Alumni magazine. ARTIST INFO: UVic Legacy Gallery blog post on 1994 Brookman exhibit: http://uvac.uvic.ca/gallery/blog/charles-brookman/ (Accessed February 26, 2017)Robbyn LanningDESCRIPTION: Two multi-coloured figures (water diviners) holding dowsing rods are depicted in profile, and appear to be moving toward a group of three (perhaps pregnant) people. Other figures throughout the image appear to be watching the water diviners. Various architectural features, such as walls, archways, and buildings, as well as a large structure with a clock contained within a triangular pediment, surround the figures. A dog sits in the foreground, while farm animals stand in a green field in the upper right (background) portion of the brightly coloured image.The artist has signed the painting, “C Brookman” in black at the top right corner