In 1882 his work appeared in the annual show of the National Academy of Design;[5] his paintings were also seen at William MacBeth's gallery.[1] He was an exhibitor at the Cotton States and International Exposition, at which he won a medal,[5] and at the National Conservation Exposition, at which his work appeared alongside that of numerous Washington colleagues.[6] Besides painting, Brooke also found work purchasing art for private collections, beginning in 1882 with his work for Thomas E. Waggaman.[1] During his career he won a number of awards, including the Parsons Prize from the Society of Washington Artists in 1901 and the third Corcoran prize in 1904.[5]