Orcutt Artist Designs Art for Nevada State Parks

         T-rex, Stegosaurus, Woolly Mammoth were common words growing up for award-winning artist Jeremy Brooks from Orcutt as he was fond of prehistoric animals. Little did he know that a prehistoric discovery decades later would have a significant impact on his professional career.

Remains of the prehistoric Nevadadromeus were discovered in Valley of Fire, Nevada in 2008 and later recognized in 2022 as the State of Nevada’s first unique dinosaur species. Valley of Fire State Park averages 1 million visitors a year. The park built a new visitor’s center to keep up with the growing needs and opened its doors at the end of last year. 

          Brooks was contacted by the gift shop manager requesting he create a depiction of this dinosaur to feature on gift shop items. Brooks researched this species, the oldest member of its subfamily from North America and created his own interpretation of his findings. His hand-drawn version of the Nevadadromeus was approved immediately and is now featured on journal covers, postcards and stickers. The word got out to the other Nevada state parks, and store managers contacted Brooks for more art pieces. Ice Age State Park in Las Vegas is now featuring Brooks’ Columbian Mammoth artwork on its gift shop products, and he is working with Sand Harbor State
          Park located at Lake Tahoe to create a landscape design for its gift shop.

Brooks’ love for drawing began at a very young age and was instrumental in helping him communicate as he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder early in his childhood. His passion and talent for drawing led him to earning a bachelor’s degree in graphic design with an emphasis in illustration and a minor in writing.

Brooks has over 30 publications available on Amazon featuring his art in art books, coloring books and journal covers. His hand-drawn artwork includes not only prehistoric life, but sea otters, humpback whales, sea turtles, WWII planes, eagles, the Statute of Liberty, and the great horned owl to name a few. Type Jeremy J. Brooks in the search area to view his publications.

           Brooks’ art and books have been featured in other gift shops across the U.S. Such establishments include the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Silver Lake Resort in June Lake, CA, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, the Wyoming Dinosaur Center, Dinosaur Ridge in Colorado, the Bell Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota, Moab Giants in Utah, and the Estrella Warbirds Flight Museum in Paso Robles. 

To learn more, visit www.autismjourney.net.