Painter
Member of Flag since
2020
Bruce’s Bio:
I have associate degrees in both fine art and graphic design. My oil paintings on canvas and wood panels are inspired by the vast landscapes of Florida, especially mangroves. Mixed with illustrative approach, my compositions take on a unique style through the use of paletteknives, brush application, and Q-tips to remove paint, together with the right attitude and approach.
Artist Statement:
Painting Mangroves with an Attitude:
I love tripping through these paintings. They tend to evolve through one hundred hours of actual painting, drawing, spreading and removing paint. I start with an idea through the process of applying matte medium loosely and aggressively for texture on the wood panels. Once it’s dry, I lay on a burnt sienna wash in areas selected with a composition in mind. Then I refine the mangrove shapes by removing paint with Q-tips. At this point, I use a loaded
palette, from blues to yellow ochre, backed up by burnt sienna. I feel out the movement or statement through light and shadow that are developed around the eco-system of these unique trees. I try to bring the viewer along on my
journey through these magnificent mangroves.
I find mangroves growing around my home in Tampa, Florida. The mangroves I find particularly interesting are in the parks at Weedon Island in St Petersburg and Double Branches in Oldsmar, Florida. Also down around the 10,000 islands and in the Florida Keys. I usually wade, canoe or kayak while taking photos for reference.
What I find intriguing is the way the prop roots grow in a fashion that flows with my style and technique. It is almost like they found me . Now I am also integrating figurative images into the process. I use the birch wood grain to
intertwine the shapes, to bring out the negative areas that become positive. I am learning this process through a collection of pictures and the history of mixed media. I want the viewer to join me as I joyfully trip through these paintings!
Education:
AA in Graphic Design,
St. Petersburg Junior College, Clearwater FL 1998
AA in Fine Arts, 3-D Design,
Hillsborough Community College,
Tampa FL 1976
Additional courses in Fine Arts,
University of South Florida, Tampa FL 1977
Exhibitions:
2010 Solo Show Louise Kotler Art Gallery, John F. Germany Public Library, Tampa
2015 Solo Show Polk State College Fine Arts Gallery,
Winter Haven
2021 Best of Category Art Under The Stars
Maitland Rotary Art Festival
2019 Best in 2-D Old Florida Celebration of the Arts,
Cedar Key
2019 Merit Award Mayfaire by-the-Lake,
Polk Museum of Art
2019 First Place Professional Association of Visual Artists Members Show
2018 Merit Award Apollo Beach Manatee Art Festival
2014 Second Place Brooksville Blueberry Art Festival
2012 Honorable Mention Professional Association of Visual Artists Members Show
2011 Honor Award Apollo Beach Manatee Art Festival
2010 Honorable Mention Apollo Beach Manatee Art Festival
2009 Award of Distinction Anna Maria Island
Festival of the Arts
2007 Second Place Wesley Chapel Art Festival
2007 Honorable Mention Brooksville Blueberry Art Festival
2007 Second Place Celebration of the Arts Wesley Chapel
Additional Professional Memberships:
Professional Association of Visual Artists (PAVA)
The Exhibiting Society of Artists (TESA)