Meet The Reverend C.N. Brooks | Magazine Maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with The Reverend C.N. Brooks and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi The Reverend, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I hate drawing. I hated sitting for long hours drawing in school. I hate graphic design. But I always love making things. Using any medium to get what I had in mind across and after years I wanted to share those things, but it’s pretty hard to get anywhere. If you didn’t already have recognition, all the barriers of entry just to get started, finding a place that is open enough for you. So I fell into the age old curse of just doing it myself. Telling my gospel and giving the people a place where they can show what they make.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
After trying many ways to share what I was making I eventually came to the idea of ‘why not just making a magazine’. A magazine for showing off the art for the people, art accessible for people to have, and a place where people can go around and tell the people they know that there work is featured in it.

I want to make that place become more, a place where people can show off more of the humanity art brings. I will keep going with every new issue that comes along and I will probably take too much pride in what I make. From illustrations of daily life, horror stories, esoteric poetry, all with mid modern aesthetics and post ironic ideals. I will take too much pride in presentation, with a custom built stand that faces forward, and advertising with big angry faces of girls mad at the world. I will care too much about this sodden city and love its brutalist, nature reclamation beauty. I want to take pride in growing that more.

I’ve gotten blue about my path many times and I’ve wallowed deeper til I found a new answer on what I can do to improve. I’ve come out with the thought that it’s not about success, it’s about the joy of making things and how can I make more.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to thank all the people in schools that loosely taught me art, I’d also like to thank the museums, galleries, and publications that rejected me so I’d decide to make my own thing. I’d like to thank my loved ones for fostering creativity so I’d end up a magazine maker. I’d like to give thanks to the alternative music scene for giving me the chance to share my work with people. I’d mostly thank my love for being the person that swindled me into getting out in front of people and into places, and for always being willing to help make stupid things with me.

Website: borntohatezine.com

Instagram: borntohatezine