Laura E. Bruce

Building 9, Arches Gallery

www.lauraebruce.com | labruce99@gmail.com

Instagram - laurabruce_art

Medium: Oil, Acrylics, Pastels, Colored Pencils and Stained Glass

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Background

Laura is part of a proud military family where the walls of her childhood homes were adorned with pictures painted by her mother and grandmother. She began drawing and painting almost as soon as she could hold a pencil in her hand, and continues to develop her talents through expression of nature, still life, and portraits. Laura received her academic training in fine art/graphic design, and enjoyed a 25+ year career as a graphic designer and art director.

Influences

Art class was the only subject that held Laura’s attention. Learning about math, science, and history just didn’t draw her in like painting a picture would. Art was and is the only thing that comes naturally.

Portraying on canvas a sparkling dew drop on a spider web or the infinitely delicate veins of a butterfly wing or the deep soulful look in an old man’s eye are just some of Laura’s favorite subjects. Sometimes, she keeps the images in black and white to help her stay clean and crisp.

Delving right into a canvas is a typical process when painting. She decides what medium to use, sketches a light outline and then plunges in. When doing a portrait, she usually starts with the eyes then builds the face from there. American Indians are a particular favorite of Laura’s because of the wisdom, pride and sadness their faces can convey. That sadness can draw the viewer in and hopefully a story will unfold. On the lighter side, capturing the pure majesty of a cat can bring the viewer great happiness!

Laura mostly paints/draws in the studio using various reference photos. Colored pencils are a preferred medium because it affords her the control to capture details and hence, portray the subject better. But the chalky stark black contrast she gets when using charcoal or graphite always draws her back to black and white.

Artistic Philosophy

Each project Laura works on consists of different subjects, often in a range of different media. Hopefully her work will make you feel something and speak for itself – there’s isn’t a wrong or right message. Laura hopes each person can take away something a bit different from her paintings.