Caitlin Brookins Studio

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Interlude of the Romanticist

This series captures the essence of Allie, shot on 120mm film at Discovery Park in Seattle. The portraits play with the natural light, using the park's landscapes and shifting shadows to highlight the subject’s connection with her surroundings. Through the textures and grain of the film, each image reveals a deeper layer of her identity, offering a quiet yet powerful exploration of self and nature in harmony.

Sweet Briar Branding Project

Sweetbriar is a mythical society rooted in the legend of Lilith, first woman, fierce exile, eternal symbol of feminine autonomy. Designed for women, by women, Sweetbriar offers guidance for those awakening to what no longer serves them. Drawing from Lilith’s defiant spirit, the brand embodies transformation, sovereignty, and sacred rebellion. Rituals of release and renewal are central to Sweetbriar’s imagined culture, and its visual identity mirrors that power: thorned elegance, smoldering textures, and typefaces that fuse softness with fire. Through a flexible system of symbols, colors, and patterns, Sweetbriar invites every member to reclaim her voice and cut the cords that bind. The brand stands as a visual and conceptual sanctuary, where flames are fanned, not feared.

Deconstructed Sushi Branding

The branding centers around the creation of a handmade sushi box, paired with screen-printed chopstick holders, and a deconstructed sushi book that dives deep into the cultural history and fascinating evolution of American sushi.
This project reimagines sushi through handmade packaging, screen-printed chopstick holders, and a deconstructed sushi book. The handmade box and screen-printed chopstick holders add a tactile, artistic touch to the dining experience, blending craftsmanship with functionality. The book explores the history and cultural evolution of American sushi, from its origins to modern adaptations, with engaging facts and visuals.
This project merges graphic design, printmaking, and culinary arts, offering a fresh perspective on sushi and its role in American food culture.

You have been here before, Welcome Home

Maryland Institute College of Art Graphic Design MA Thesis Exhibition
This research explores the tension between the preservation of physical artifacts and the intangible experiences they represent as evidence of a lived life, particularly in relation to women’s voices and institutional memory. Drawing from socio-political shifts in the United States and a winter practicum at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology, it critiques traditional curatorial practices that often erase or diminish women's histories. The exhibition, You Have Been Here Before, Welcome Home, confronts this cycle of exclusion, offering a space for reflection while urging a reevaluation of what and who is deemed worthy of preservation.

Collections Management

My work in collections management and museum research is grounded in a belief that museums are not just keepers of objects, but stewards of stories, and the narratives they choose to tell shape how we understand history, identity, and culture. I approach museum design and archival work as opportunities to engage critically with how collections are organized, presented, and preserved. The way an artifact is labeled, displayed, or archived carries as much weight as the object itself. Through careful stewardship and research, I seek to honor the integrity of both the materials and the people behind them, while advocating for inclusive, reflective narratives. Museums have the power to illuminate silenced histories and reframe our collective memory, and that responsibility matters deeply to me. The photographs on this page were taken at the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, Mammalogy Collection—a space that continues to inspire my thinking around preservation, taxonomy, and the quiet power of catalogued knowledge.

Various Darkroom Works

My darkroom photography practice is rooted in the tactile, alchemical nature of analog image-making. Whether working with traditional silver gelatin prints, cyanotypes, salted paper, or C-41 film, I’m drawn to the slow, intentional rhythms of each process. These techniques aren’t just methods, they’re languages. Each one reveals something distinct about time, touch, and materiality. I often experiment with layering alternative photographic processes with screen printing, exploring how surface, repetition, and transparency can deepen narrative and texture. From hand-coating paper to watching an image emerge in developer, I find meaning in the physical dialogue between light and surface.

Various Logo Design

My logo design work leans toward the illustrative, rich with detail, symbolism, and a strong sense of narrative. I approach each brand mark as more than just a visual identifier; it’s a distilled story, a feeling, a voice. Whether hand-drawn or digitally refined, my logos often incorporate organic forms, layered textures, and intentional typography to create identities that feel personal and evocative.

Mural, Stage Painting and Installation works

My mural, installation, and stage painting work explores the intersection of environment, memory, and gesture. Whether painting directly on glass storefronts with flowing organic motifs or constructing site-responsive installations from natural materials and cyanotype textures, I aim to invite viewers into a contemplative space where narrative and atmosphere meet. My scenic painting background grounds this work in strong technical draftsmanship, allowing me to shift fluidly between stylized flourishes and historically informed realism. Each piece responds to its physical context, celebrating the ephemeral beauty of place and the quiet power of hand-rendered detail.

Poster Design

My poster work blends traditional and digital techniques to create bold, expressive designs. I work across a variety of mediums, including screen printing, letterpress, Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop, allowing each project to find its own voice through material and method. Whether hand-pulled or digitally crafted, my posters often explore themes of memory, place, and social narrative, combining strong visuals with thoughtful, intentional design.

Floral Design

My floral design work draws from years of experience across a wide range of settings, from designing daily arrangements at Whole Foods Market and Hanaya Floral to creating custom pieces for events at local shops throughout Boston and Cambridge. Eventually, I expanded into freelance wedding and event floral design, where I could fully explore my love for creating whimsical, artful, and beautifully edgy arrangements. I approach each piece like a living
sculpture, focused on movement, texture, and unexpected beauty that feels both natural and elevated.