Rosie’s diverse background in both music and illustration has allowed her to create a unique blend of artistic expression that has caught the attention of some of the biggest names in the music industry. Her passion for music, across many genres, has been a driving force in her work, infusing her illustrations with a musicality that speaks to the emotions of the viewer.
Over the years, Rosie has been commissioned by a number of leading musical institutions, including The Royal Opera House and Wigmore Hall, to create artwork that captures the essence of their performances. She has also collaborated with several prominent musicians, such as Aled Jones and Sir Paul McCartney, to create custom pieces that reflect their individual styles.
Rosie’s work has been featured in a wide range of musical settings, from classical operas and orchestral performances to contemporary concerts and festivals. Her ability to convey the atmosphere and energy of live music through her illustrations has made her a sought-after artist in the industry.
In 2022, Sir Paul McCartney invited Rosie to create a custom painting of his guitar for his performance at the Glastonbury Festival. The guitar, adorned with Rosie’s vibrant artwork, captured the spirit of McCartney’s music and added a new dimension to his performance. The collaboration between Rosie and McCartney was a testament to the power of music and art to inspire and uplift audiences across generations.
Rosie’s talent and versatility as an illustrator have been recognized by many artistic institutions, including the Birmingham Royal Ballet. In a recent collaboration, Rosie was commissioned to create animated videos for the ballet company’s social media platforms, showcasing her ability to create engaging visual content that perfectly complements the beauty and elegance of the ballet.
Rosie’s work with the Birmingham Royal Ballet involved creating a series of animated illustrations that captured the essence of the company’s performances, bringing to life the intricate movements and emotive storytelling of their performances. Her illustrations were carefully crafted to convey the grace, fluidity, and beauty of the ballet, while also incorporating her signature style and musicality.
This collaboration with the Birmingham Royal Ballet is just one example of Rosie’s ability to apply her artistic skills in diverse and innovative ways, making her a versatile and valuable collaborator for a range of artistic and creative projects.
Rosie’s collaboration with Classic FM has been a highly successful and rewarding partnership. She has worked closely with the popular radio station to create a range of illustrated content for their social media platforms and fundraising initiatives.
One of Rosie’s most notable collaborations with Classic FM was the creation of their first-ever illustrated countdown for the Classic FM Hall of Fame. Her musical drawings brought a fresh perspective to the countdown, capturing the spirit and emotion of each piece of music in a unique and unforgettable way.
In addition to her work on social media, Rosie has also contributed to Classic FM’s charitable efforts, creating Christmas cards, an illustrated calendar, and a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle, all with proceeds going to Global’s Make Some Noise.
Illustrations for Classic FM’s annual Hall of Fame
Rosie’s publishing collaboration with Aled Jones has been a source of pride and inspiration. Aled Jones, a prominent British singer and television personality, approached Rosie to illustrate his debut children’s book series about a little boy called Bobby Dean who loves to sing, published by Hodder Faith.
Rosie’s illustrations brought to life the charming and endearing characters of the book series, adding a whimsical and playful element to the heartwarming stories. Her ability to capture the innocence and joy of childhood through her illustrations perfectly complemented the spirit of the books, making them a beloved favorite among young readers.
With two books in the series already published and a third on the way, Rosie’s collaboration with Aled Jones has brought joy and inspiration to countless young readers, while also showcasing her skill as an illustrator and visual storyteller.
Rosie’s illustrations continue to be in high demand from a range of prestigious musical institutions, including The Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne, Opera Holland Park, St John Smith Square, Wigmore Hall, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Rosie’s illustration extends beyond musical greeting cards, as she has contributed to various larger scale projects. Her work has been used in fundraising activities, marketing and educational programs.
Rosie has also showcased her artistic talents live at several London Mozart Players concerts, where she used a special visualiser to project her illustrations behind the musicians in real-time. With narration and a live audience, Rosie’s illustrations provided a visual accompaniment to the orchestra’s performances, bringing the music to life in a new and exciting way.
Rosie’s live illustrations with the London Mozart Players demonstrated her ability to merge the worlds of art and music in a truly innovative way. By bringing her illustrations to life in real-time, she created a truly immersive experience for the young audience, enhancing their appreciation of the music being performed and demonstrating the power of illustration to connect with the music.
During the Pandemic, Rosie collaborated with Naxos UK to create a series of home learning colouring sheets in 2020. Colouring sheets proved to be a great way to make learning fun and engaging for children, especially during periods of remote learning and social distancing.
Rosie’s illustrations brought the colouring sheets to life creating a valuable resource for parents and teachers to use in supporting children’s education at home.
In May 2022, Rosie travelled to Rome to collaborate with Operaffinity and Save the Children Italia where she was invited to draw live alongside international opera singers at a series of refugee centres.
Through this initiative, Rosie was able to make a meaningful contribution to the lives of young refugees in Italy, while also highlighting the importance of art and culture in promoting social inclusion and fostering a sense of belonging through opera and illustration.
Rosie has a close relationship with Opera Holland Park, collaborating with them on various projects, including illustrating school programmes, creating illustrations for educational programmes, and leading drawing workshops at their annual Open Day.
Her contributions demonstrate the importance of promoting creativity and learning through the arts. Through her collaboration, Rosie has been able to engage with students and educators, providing them with valuable resources and insights, and reaching a broader audience through both in-person and virtual formats.
Rosie joined forces with Glyndebourne during lockdown in a great example of how artists and organisations can come together to create new and innovative ways to engage with audiences. During Glyndebourne’s series of opera and home live streams, Rosie provided plot updates through instagram stories, tweeting, creating a fun and interactive experience for viewers.
As an illustrator, Rosie was uniquely positioned to offer a visual element to the plot updates, adding an extra layer of interest for those following the live streams. Her tweets were not only informative but also entertaining, helping to bring the opera to life in a new and exciting way.
Through her collaboration with Glyndebourne, Rosie demonstrated the power of the arts to connect people, even in times of isolation and uncertainty. By providing a creative and engaging way to experience opera during lockdown, Rosie and Glyndebourne offered a much-needed escape for audiences and helped to maintain the spirit of live performance despite the challenging circumstances.
In 2020, Rosie participated in a wonderful project with Vopera, providing illustrations for the first digital opera production of Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortileges. This production was broadcast on Marquee TV and went on to win several prestigious awards, including the Southbank Award for Opera and the London Philharmonic Award.
Rosie’s illustrations played a key role in bringing the story to life, adding a visual element that complemented the music and singing. Her work helped to create a rich and immersive experience for viewers, capturing the whimsical and fantastical nature of the opera.
Through her collaboration with Vopera, Rosie demonstrated the value of the arts in reaching new audiences and breaking down barriers to access.
Rosie’s collaboration with the Royal Opera House Learning and Participation department is a wonderful example of how illustration can be used to enhance educational experiences. As part of this collaboration, Rosie created illustrations for several operas and ballets, which were used to accompany school visits as part of the Royal Opera House Schools Matinee Programmes.
Through her illustrations, Rosie was able to bring the stories and characters of these productions to life, providing a visual element that helped to engage and inspire students. Her work helped to create an immersive and interactive experience for students, encouraging them to explore and engage fully with the productions.
In partnership with the wonderful Greetings card company Holy Mackerel, Rosie has produce a collection of new and exciting greetings cards, suitable for all occasions.
Rosie’s musical cards are available to buy on Amazon
Rosie is a regular contributor to Opera For Everyone, a radio show and podcast, makes opera understandable, accessible, and enjoyable for all. The show airs Sundays from 9.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. on 89.1 KHOL in Jackson, Wyoming to find out more click here OPERA FOR EVERYONE
If you would like discuss a musical commission or idea Rosie would love to hear from you. To get in touch please click CONTACT
Rosie Brooks 