Born in 1944 in Jackson, Michigan, Middlebrook now lives and works in Los Gatos, CA
"I speak through objects and in doing so I make thought visible. First and foremost the piece has to work visually in form, color, and composition. Each piece is harmoniously assembled combining objects, with no prior association, thus inviting the viewer to think/ponder, 'How does this work?'
Looking at art is an eye opening experience. I try to make work that makes you want to know more. I want my work to leave its audience with inquiry, evoking questions like, 'What does this mean and how is this made?' I enjoy creating work that transcends with the viewer’s preference, thus, challenging and altering their preconceived thoughts. Each individual conceptualizes the work uniquely through personal association. The variation of these interpretations is refreshingly imaginative.
My roots can be traced back to ceramics. I struggled with the instability of this material and found many of its characteristics to be limiting. This led me to Pietrasanta, Italy and the discovery of stone and bronze opening up the possibility of creating larger scale artwork of variable dimensions, 10 lbs, to 50 tons"