 |
||
        |
About The ArtistI presently live in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on the south shore of Lake Ontario. This area and the nearby Niagara Peninsula has been my home most of my life. I enjoyed drawing and painting throughout my school years and when I was thirteen, I began taking group classes with Hamilton artist Lydia Hill. Forty years later we are still good friends. I learned a lot in her informal classes and I still seek out her advice on occasion when I am stumped with a painting situation. I studied drawing and panting in university as well as drama and business. Years later, I did my graduate studies in Theatre Design at the University of Calgary, Alberta. After school I worked for fifteen years in business. I always liked production and sales. At the age of 30, I developed eyesight problems, which became complicated. I was faced with near blindness after a year and my only option was surgery. Due to complications, the normally routine surgery would be difficult and the chances of success were not good. I felt I had nothing to lose and with faith, hope and an excellent surgeon, went ahead. My sight was restored in two successful operations. It was then that I felt I should do something more rewarding with my time, something that would use my precious eyesight. I had always had a keen interest in theatrical scenery since childhood, and had done some work designing and panting scenery part-time. After a hiatus from work, I quit my business career, phoned the National Ballet Company of Canada and got a job as a scenic artist. I loved the work and continued from company to company across the country as well as designing the occasional show. Many fellow scenic artists I have worked with in the business feel the work has not helped their own artwork or has hindered their time for it. I have found in some cases I have learned a lot from it and have been able to apply some of what I do to my own work. If "all the world's a stage...",. I strongly identify with the crossover of the design effect, or "staged" effect between my stage work and my artwork. I often feel I am standing in some grand stage set when I am out in a landscape or architectural setting. Likewise, when I design for the stage, I feel like I am creating a whole environment or "world" on the stage. I have always been drawn to artwork with a "stage set" quality or feel to it such as in British artist, Paul Nash's work. So, when painting a picture, I reduce the big scene down to a small scale on canvas or paper. When designing a stage set, I try to achieve the feeling of as much space as possible in a confined area of the theatre. As most artists, I like a variety of art forms and artist' work. Since childhood, I have always had a special affinity for modern American art of the twentieth century, particularly the Ashcan School in the East, and the California School of watercolour painters in the West. I also like much of the British art of the same time. Another influence I have always enjoyed is American illustration art of the twentieth century. When doing my own painting, I have always held to the idea of a well-executed piece with finish - a joy in itself regardless of subject. I am not the kind of person who paints only for myself. My personal input is important, but I need the person viewing to make a connection with the pictures as well. This need for audience reaction or identification is vital to me as an artist whether designing a stage setting or painting a picture. For the last several years, I have been working in commercial scenic shops in the Hamilton, Toronto area doing scenic art and painting for productions that go out across Canada and the US. I hope you enjoy at least some of my work and send along your comments if you like; I would enjoy hearing from you. With my best wishes and thanks for your time. Bruce Repei |
|
| Site design by CrookedBush.com | ||