Name: Jim Bruce
Job Title: Credit Manager
Years at Burton: Eight
What do you really do?
I work in an awesome culture with extraordinary people. In between the lines, I build relationships, collaborate, problem solve, confront, negotiate, counsel, compromise, lead, travel, team with my mates, hang with my dog and of course, ride.
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I try not to take myself too seriously (hence the bear-shorts photo). I’m the keeper of some BIG secrets. “Any major dude will tell you” that I’m passionate about the good life; food, friends, music, and a woman named Susan. I love irony, the spirit of dissention, adventure, culture, travel, all things mystic, and the (all) arts. I named my son ‘Dylan’ after a guy named ‘Bob’… and my motorcycle ‘Betty’ after a ‘Ram Jam’ tune (Black…). Oh, and I love my dog’s Sully and Scout (Scout is featured in one of my paintings).
What are your reasons for creating art?
I would characterize my art as being less overt, more visceral; driven from a deeper place, primal maybe – always personal – often symbolist in style. For me, my creative life over time has been an effective way to channel emotional energy, longing and/or angst. My work more often than not inspires more questions than answers. I create most of it for myself; it surrounds me like fingerprints.
Tell us about the work you will be submitting to the show.
I’ve selected three recent works for the show (pictured) and may enter a forth which is currently still in progress.
The first piece (a self portrait with Scout – acrylic) was created with intended humor; in sort of a cheeky old-school style. Scout is a Jack Russell Terrier (for anybody who understands – OMG!) which we rescued at 10 weeks old. I wanted to do something that would inspire smiles and snickers – I had great fun with color here.
The 2nd piece is entitled “Primal Window”. It is intended to be more “symbolist” in style – also done in acrylic. This piece juxtaposes a window, female form and animal. It is intended to explore the mysteries associated with introspection, feminine/masculine energy and things carnal – with imagery and color equally relevant.
The 3rd piece is entitled “Gaze”. This is a mixed media (oil, encaustic, and acrylic) portrait of a stoic female subject – complete with an obscure message which is only fully known by the artist (me) – done in the same spirit as code writing (where the code writer is the only one who knows) . The intent here was to create intrigue all the while maintaining the integrity of secrecy.
Painting # 4 entitled “Rogue Monkey” (24” X 24”) – Medium / Acrylic
This was a fun painting to make, from content to color; the title of which was inspired by recent headlines about a “rogue monkey” in Japan terrorizing people – complete with daily alerts on a website about his whereabouts. I found this story wildly humorous in a scary kind of way (easy for guy living in “monkey-free” New England!) – hence the wild color layering and strokes. The frame will be covered in Japanese newspaper clippings I picked up in Tokyo and will include the piece which inspired the title.
Who/what inspires you?
Definitely not a finite list for me but I’ll share with you a few “things and people” that hit the spot for me this week:
Things; The Ocean inspires me. Art culture inspires me. The notion of authentic freedom inspires me. Injustice inspires me, etc.
Peeps; John Brown, Jimmy Carter, Quentin Tarantino, Johnny Cash, Michael Hastings, Dennis Hopper, etc.
Local Peeps; Pat Leahy, Madeline Kunin, Jernigan Pontiac, etc.
Artists; Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Max Scholder, Jasper Johns, (super long list here) etc.
Tell us one thing about you a lot of people may not know.
I’ve travelled around the world and lived in 9 states and somehow…
…I work just 1250 feet from where I was born.
Talk about gravity.
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