Pita Brooks, 37, Lakewood
Admissions recruiter for the Cleveland Institute of Art
Is Pita short for something?
No, it means 'fourth born daughter' in Sudanese. My mother found it in a baby book. We are not Sudanese, but I am the fourth born daughter. I'm one of seven children; I'm smack-dab in the middle. My mom wanted to set me apart. I'm the only one with an unusual name.
Was it a fun name to have growing up?
No it was a terrible name when I was a younger. Kids made fun of me a lot. I tried to go by my initials P.J., but it never stuck. I love it now.
Your job sounds exciting, what does it entail?
I travel around the country in search of creative talent and I bring them to Cleveland. I get to talk to students all day about art. I attend college fairs and high school visits. We talk about programming and how to apply. It's awesome. I've been doing it for almost four years. I am an artist and before CIA I worked at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland.
How do you know which schools and students to visit?
We look at trends and see from where students are applying. There are five admissions counselors; we have different areas across the country. Right now, I cover Ohio and I cover events in other states for counselors who can't go. I've traveled all over the country.
Do you find your fashion inspiration in art?
I would say yes because I'm an artist. Most of my inspiration comes from accessories. I love jewelry and I think of it as wearable sculpture. Most of my clothing choices are made around what I want to wear as the accessory. That's how I pick a look. Jewelry and shoes come first and I go from there.
Where do you like to shop?
I go to Target and TJ Maxx for basics. I love boutiques like Banyan Tree. That one is my favorite. They just opened a new location at University Circle, that's walking distance from CIA so that's trouble for me. I also like things that are old and worn out, like my old jean jacket. It's a good staple. I often check out boutiques first and then try to find something comparable at TJ Maxx or Marshall's to save a little money. I also like to shop at art shows and art fairs. The Cleveland Flea (Dec. 11-13) is a favorite because you can find such a mix of things in clothing, vintage, handmade and home accessories. My other favorites are the Last Minute Market (Dec. 19, The Galleria), the ArtCraft Building Holiday Sale (Dec 5-6), Artscape at MOCA. There are so many great shows in Cleveland.
Do you still dabble in your artwork?
I went to Hiram College and received a bachelor's in Fine Arts. I'm a mixed media artist and I work primarily with encaustic wax. Encaustic is a Greek word meaning to fuse things together with heat. The art is to layer and layer and layer the wax. I paint with it and other things. I make my own medium, it's beeswax and damar resin. Then I hand color it and apply it to different sub straights. I create a sort of 3-D landscape. I just did a show with my husband, Kristin Rogers. He is the Art Education and Communications Manager at Progressive. We met when he was doing a show at MOCA.
Tell us something cool about yourself.
I'm a motorcycle rider. I always wanted to be and my husband is so when we met, he taught me. We have two bikes. We ride all over. We rode to West Virginia once. I ride to work.
Other than a little bit biker, how do you describe your style?
I get a lot of looks when I ride. I have crazy colored hair and I might be wearing red tennis shoes. But, it's my thing and that's what I like. I love scarves and I'm a big fan of mixing casual with business all the time. I wear a lot of what I call fashion sneakers and I love fun socks. I think my style is also playful. I think it works because most students don't want to see a stuffy suit wearing person. They like it when they can relate to me, they tell me my hair or my shoes are cool. It opens the dialogue.
Speaking of cool hair, do you keep it the same color?
I change it all the time. It's a great accessory.
What does your wardrobe say about you?
I think because of my accessories it probably says that I'm pretty adventurous and that I love art. It screams that I'm an artist.
Do you admire any designers?
Designer is a weird word for me. I think I'll say that I like artist made things. I like the handmade and artisan made. I'm seriously in love with the work of Brandon Holschuh. He made my wedding ring. His work is the right mix. It's really unique and it's fine art. There's a wonderful student who is coming up. Her name is Meghan Sweeney. She'll be graduating soon and I'll be watching her. I also like local jewelry artists Liza Michelle Rifkin, Patti Fields, Susan Scaparotti of red I jewelry and Kaley Turner of Scrap & Smith. I like the mix of the organic with the industrial.
Do you stick to any fashion rules?
I try not to wear things that are mass-produced, especially when it comes to my accessories. You can't always escape that with clothes. My accessories make the statement. I always look for original and hand-made things.
How has your style changed over the years?
I have a little more professional look now. I'm less of a jeans and T-shirt wearer. I didn't really get into style until I got a job at MOCA. People came there in the most amazing fashions. I remember telling myself it was time to step up my game.
Are you a fan of online fashion social media?
I love Pinterest. I call my own folder Dapperly Delicious. I find things that I like and pin them to my board under that title.
Are there any beauty products that you recommend?
I like natural smelling soaps and things. My favorite thing that everyone should try is Dr. Bronner's. It's kind of a hippie soap. It comes in bars and liquid and they say you can use it for anything. It's organic and I love the lavender scented one and the peppermint one tingles. I've seen it once at Costco, health food stores and Whole Foods carries it.
If you could buy a dream item related to fashion what would you buy?
I would buy another pair of beautiful Frye boots, tall ones.
I'm with you! Where do you get your sense of style?
It must just come from being in an art community and I'm always surrounded by creative people. I don't necessarily follow the trends when it comes to fashion, but if I see someone with something that catches my eye, I'll remember it.
What does style mean to you?
Style is your personality. I'm not someone who thinks about it in the sense that I have to have designer labels. Style is a way to help you with your confidence and having nice things to put on helps create confidence.
Give us some good fashion advice,
Be bold with one item that you're wearing. Wear something that stands out. Buy and wear what you like and have confidence in what you're wearing. Confidence is the best fashion accessory.
Amen to that!
Fashion Flash is always looking for Clevelanders with a fresh take on style. If you or someone you know has a great fashion sense click here for the submission form or email me at [email protected].