Raleigh, North Carolina
RALEIGH,
NORTH CAROLINA
Brooks Bell is a self-described colonoscopy enthusiast, board member and serial entrepreneur. She founded, Brooks Bell, Inc. nearly 20 years ago to help bring a data-driven mindset to digital marketing departments, and it quickly became the leading organization in the industry. She co-founded Raleigh Founded to inspire young entrepreneurs and changemakers to reshape the world. Brooks serves on the boards of the CDC Foundation, Research Triangle Park Foundation, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, and more.
After a life-changing diagnosis of stage 3 colon cancer at age 38, Brooks is devoting her time to colon cancer prevention and health equity. Her commitment to bringing awareness to the prevalence of colon cancer and the importance of timely colonoscopies is saving lives. We are happy to support her mission by spreading the word. One in 3 people have pre-cancerous polyps by age 45. Get your colonoscopy as early as possible!
COLLECTOR'S NOTE
“I express my creativity through our physical spaces and our home cooked meals. I have a weakness for wallpaper and fennel seeds.”
As with everything she does, Brooks has intentionally created a home and art collection that is inspiring. The Raleigh home that she shares with husband Jesse Lipson is both an art-filled modern home and a personal health retreat for the couple. Their focus on health and wellness is apparent in their exterior and interior selections. The outdoor gardens are filled with fresh vegetables and herbs. The thought-provoking yoga and sitting areas feature works by artist Corey Mason and other notable artists. The home gym features a massive mural by Jeks One. (Take a look for some serious, workout motivation.). Be inspired by the stunning home of Brooks Bell and Jesse Lipson.
(Interior design by Heather Garrett)
Tell us a little about yourself.
“I'm from Alaska. I went to public school and was on the cross country ski team. I also raced in downhill skiing, and went heli-snowboarding once (when I was 12). I moved to North Carolina to go to college at Duke. I started a website company when I was a junior and that eventually led to starting Brooks Bell a couple of years later. I ran Brooks Bell for 16 years and we became a leading A/B testing consultancy in the digital analytics and marketing industry. I stepped down in 2019 when I was diagnosed with colon cancer. Fortunately it is in remission, 3 years later. I've been joining boards in public health to help drive awareness that colon cancer is actually one of the few preventable cancers. I've been focusing heavily on personal health and wellness as well."
Describe your relationship with art.
“I was obsessed with drawing and painting as a child. I had an art teacher for a decade growing up. One of my fondest memories as a teen is when I wandered through the halls of the Boston Museum of Fine Art clutching my copy of the History of the World textbook (the main textbook for AP European History) and would read the chapter about the time and place of a specific piece of art while sitting in the gallery and staring at it. It made me feel like I could connect with the psychic energy of that specific time and place by occupying the same space as the artwork. That is what art means to me - a way to connect with the energy of the artist and get into their body, their emotions and their set and setting, in a way that's not possible with language or words."
Where is the most unexpected place you have encountered art either to enjoy or buy?
“We were in a roadside diner driving home from St. Augustine in the mid-2000s. There was a simple black and white painting of a young woman hanging on the wall across the room. Her face was so full of emotion. We asked about it and found out that it was for sale. We of course bought it on the spot and lugged it home with us in the trunk."
Tell us about your collecting style.
“Abstract; feminine forms, warmth but with intensity. We have to think it looks simple and beautiful but also has an intensity and energy that makes it hard to turn your eyes away."
Photography by Anna Routh Barzin
Interior Design by Heather Garrett
