Communication is an imperative in both life and art for Willie Middlebrook. Born and raised in Compton, California, Middlebrook considers his digital "photographic paintings" to be collaborative endeavors between his subjects and himself. His use of digital collage allows him to make poetic connections between specific images and abstract ideas, such as love, death, hope and dreams. His large-scale porcelain enamel mural, Portrait of My People #619, features photographic images of friends and artists from the surrounding community. It is located at the Avalon/I-105 station on the Metro Green Line and is part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority "Arts For Rail Transit" program. Middlebrook's work can also be found in various public and private collections including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago and the National Museum of American Art in Washington, DC. Currently Middlebrook is Professor of Photography & Digital Photography at Compton Community College, and is the coordinator of Teen Programs and an Art Instructor at the Junior Art Center, City of Los Angeles.