Chozen Studios

COVER PHOTO BY KRISTY REIMER | STORY AND PHOTO BY BRITTON LEDINGHAM

CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AND VIDEO INTERVIEW IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION AT AIRDRIELIFE.COM

Hugh Rookwood and Brenda Weeks always loved creating art.

Growing up in Toronto, both studied art in post-secondary – Rookwood studied animation at Sheridan College and Weeks took communication and design at the Ontario College of Art and Design. If you assumed artistry drew the 46-year-old common-law creators together, you weren’t entirely wrong; however, they originally met over a love of martial arts.

“I met her through taekwondo,” recalls Rookwood, sitting in an office chair beside Weeks in the bonus-room studio of their Sagewood home. “You know, we became good friends.”

Rookwood, the son of an architect, cut his teeth in the illustration industry working with Ken Lashley doing work for Marvel, and was a founding member at the studio Draxhall Jump, where he got the opportunity to work on comics, such as Magic: The Gathering and Flip.

“I learned a lot under Ken Lashley,” says Rookwood. “I’ve learned about comic-book storytelling and all that kind of stuff... it was a great experience.”

Rookwood puts dynamic energy into his work to draw viewers into scenes, catching moments and details, down to the body mechanics of characters in combat positions he studied while in the dojo himself.

“There’s a dance going on,” says Rookwood. “Comic books [are] ... the most beautiful combination of illustrated and written that you can get, it’s just brilliant.”

When the couple first met Weeks had already wrapped up five years of a career as a freelance illustrator and was following other pursuits.

“If in your heart you know this is what you want to do, and you believe in whatever it is that you want to do, then just go after it with a vengeance”

“I met Hugh, and he was so involved in art and everything, he sort of brought me back into wanting to create,” says Weeks.

Shortly before Rookwood and Weeks had their first of two sons, Kai and Hardison, they started Chozen Studios and sold works at their first convention in 2009. Rookwood had a portfolio of prints to sell at comic book conventions around North America and the Caribbean.

“She was the major catalyst for [starting Chozen Studios],” says Rookwood of his partner.

Weeks is supportive.

“He’s super talented,” she says. “People need to see Hugh Rookwood for Hugh Rookwood and not under the guise of other people.”

Since then, Rookwood has been “like the travelling salesman,” selling his art coast to coast in Canada and as far north as Yellowknife, NWT. Over the years, he’s built up his collection to about 200 pieces he sells at shows; that is before COVID-19 threw a damper on such events since March 2020.

Thankfully for the couple, they’ve believed in diversity of work from the inception of their crafts. As a design and illustration studio, their work ranges from comic art and children’s books to tattoo design and corporate rebranding.

“I’m pretty versatile,” says Rookwood, noting sometimes his work is mistaken to be created by a studio full of artists. “But really, it’s just me.”

Weeks recently upgraded her education with a data design technologies course at Reeves College, “so that I could be more relevant in the industry.”

The comic convention circuit brought the family to Calgary yearly, and when they were looking for a change three years ago, their Realtor nudged them towards Airdrie and they fell in love.

“Airdrie’s the spot and I love it here like, absolutely,” says Rookwood, noting there is an appreciation for the arts, no matter how noteworthy the creator is.

Weeks chimes in.

“There’s a real sense of community in Airdrie,” she says. “And there’s a lot of arts development.”

After they moved, Weeks began creating her own works as well, and has transitioned from acrylics and oils to digital works.

“I like the fact that you can close it down for half an hour and come back to it and nothing dries up on you,” she says, noting her collection is sold beside Rookwood’s in their Chozen Studios booth at shows.

Today the family still loves martial arts, but their time is devoted to a different art where they make their living creating illustrations, comic book art, concept and digital designs.

The earlier years of their boys’ development involved days of parenting and nights of work. Now that their boys are seven and 10 years old and have seen the circuit, they have a pride for their parents’ work.

Rookwood is thankful for the path he’s chosen.

“If in your heart you know this is what you want to do, and you believe in whatever it is that you want to do, then just go after it with a vengeance,” he says. “Don’t let nobody stop you.”

John Ware and other recent works

2020 began with the release of a children’s book illustrated by Rookwood titled, Howdy, I’m John Ware. Authored by Ayesha Clough, it tells the story of Ware, who was born into slavery in South Carolina, but travelled north after the Civil War and became a leading rancher in Alberta. That legacy project is important to Rookwood to be a part of, and it fatefully came to him after Weeks met Clough through a friend at their daycare. As a Black man in a time when the Black Lives Matter movement has brought racism, like that of white men against former slaves like John Ware, to the fore, Rookwood encourages people to learn about each other. “I think that’s what more people need to do – open themselves up to the people and learn,” he says. Rookwood is continuing to learn himself, and pictures himself as a student, never a master.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get there, but I’m not worried about that,” says Rookwood. “I’m just enjoying the journey of trying to get there.”

That journey will include creating more of their own work as Chozen Studios and for other publications.

Rookwood recently completed the illustrations of a graphic novel by Jack Briglio called Dominion Jack in the True Patriot Series by Chapterhouse, and the other is Monkey Business in Flip, an anthology of alternate reality stories, by Markosia publishing in the UK.

“It’s always about getting my ideas out like those masters who came before me influenced me and got me to want to draw in the first place,” says Rookwood.

You can see work by Rookwood and Weeks at chozenstudios. com, or by searching Chozen Studios on Facebook and Instagram.

The pair recently created Juxtaposition Design to house other business services as well. life FALL 2020 | airdrielife.com 53