Brook Connolly is a printmaker based in Greenville, North Carolina, originally from the small town of Princeton. She is drawn to the physicality and layered nature of printmaking, using the medium as a way to slow down, observe, and reflect. Working primarily in color intaglio and photo lithography, her process-driven practice explores memory, trauma, and the emotional weight of childhood nostalgia.

Brook earned her BFA in Printmaking from East Carolina University in 2025. A strong advocate for collaboration and community within the field, she was awarded a university research grant to support her first solo exhibition, Welcome Home, and was recognized with the Undergraduate Award at the 2025 SGCI Open Portfolio.

Artist Statement

My work is grounded in memory, emotion, and the complexities of childhood. Through printmaking, I explore personal experiences and the lingering weight of early moments—both tender and difficult. I’m driven by the idea that sharing these stories can offer comfort, connection, or a new perspective for others.

Printmaking allows me to slow down and focus deeply on each step of the process. Working primarily in color intaglio and photo lithography, I use vibrant color, nostalgic imagery, and recurring hidden objects
to reference memories and emotional undercurrents. I often draw from children’s stories and the way young minds interpret confusing or adult situations.

Nostalgia in my work is bittersweet—sometimes soft and warm, sometimes unsettling. I begin each piece with a theme or feeling I want to express, then let intuition guide the process. Like old I-spy books, the
more you look, the more you see. My work reflects that layered complexity and encourages viewers to consider how our upbringings shape us. I am showing how much children are asked to carry before
they’re ready.