Romany Mark Bruce, an artist who wields his imagination as expertly as his brushes and sculpting tools, is set to release his latest book, “Sculpting Color.” Set for a grand reveal this coming September 2024, the book offers a colorful peek into more than thirty years of Bruce’s artistic journey, both as a sculptor and a painter. Bruce’s magic lies in his knack for merging colors and shapes in ways that break free from the usual limits of his materials. The event is scheduled for September 14 and 15 at the Encounters Art Space in Brighton.

Photo by @artist.romanymarkbruce

V. What was the initial spark for creating the book “Sculpting Color”? 

I never contemplated creating a book.  I was approached by Unicorn Publishing in March 2023 and initially the book was to be solely a monograph of my work.  After a few meetings they decided   it should be a biography, and it grew from there. 

V. How did you decide to cover over 30 years of your work in a single book? 

After four months of being interviewed by the biographer, Alex Leith, we  decided that the best approach was a chronological one.  I have only catalogued my work in detail over the last 10 years, so I had to track down paintings and sculptures to various parts of the world such as Australia and the United States to have quality images taken,  and to find out the dimensions of each piece of work for the book.  We chose work that best illustrates my progression over the years, and the relationship between sculpting and painting. 

V. While working on your book, you probably got a fresh perspective on your own creativity. What were some new aspects of your talent that you discovered along the way? Did anything about your creative skills catch you off guard as you put your ideas together?

I found it challenging  to revisit old work – I have little  or no emotional attachment to much of it. Once  a collection is completed I move onto the next project. 

I rediscovered lots of paintings that I had dismissed and never imagined giving them any further scrutiny or consideration. To my surprise they are not that bad after all. In some of them I see detail that I really like, but I have no idea how I achieved it, making it impossible to replicate. 

I do think I now have a greater understanding of why many can recognise my work as being mine, be they sculptures or paintings, abstract or figurative. 

V. In your transition from a career in law to becoming a full-time artist, there must have been a defining moment or realization that shifted your path. Could you describe the specific circumstances or insights that made you decide to pursue art as your primary profession? 

In 1999 I parted company with a firm of solicitors where I had worked for over 10 years. It was a difficult time, but on my last day in the office I stood on the beach listening to Beverley Knight’s  ‘Greatest Day of my Life’ and realised that this was my opportunity to pursue my passion for sculpting. Contemplating the death of my dear friend Paul Tay, aged 32 (after whom the Brighton & Hove AIDS Memorial is named) I decided to give up a full time career in the law.  I loved being a lawyer, but urge to sculpt was overwhelming. 

V. I’m really curious about how those sculptural techniques you mentioned in your book weave into your painting style. It’s super interesting to think about how one form of art can influence another. Could you talk a bit about how this crossover has shaped your approach to painting? 

One day, when I had only been painting for about 3 years, I got trapped in my house when my key snapped on the lock. I was supposed to be at a party, so it  was with some reluctance that I spent the afternoon painting. I employed a  palette knife rather than my usual brushes and cloths, and what emerged was quite astonishing to me. From somewhere came a figure, something I had never attempted on canvas despite the human form being a constant in my sculptures. That afternoon changed my approach to painting forever.  When I took up sculpting it immediately felt natural to me, but I have never felt the same about painting, it has been  a battle to find my way. 

Photo by @artist.romanymarkbruce

V. What’s the vibe like at your exhibitions? Got any memorable reactions from viewers that stuck with you?

I hope the vibe is a fun one.  There are many who find art exhibitions intimidating, I try  to make it less so. I never  tell a viewer what they should see or how they should interpret a sculpture or painting, that is up to them. Listening into conversations can be interesting. 

One occasion a visitor in a very loud voice, (and not realising that I was the artist) – ‘” I am sure it is very good, but I hope I never get to meet him, he must be very disturbed”

V. Color plays such a vital role in your art—it’s like a signature part of your style. How would you describe the palette you typically work with, and how has it changed or evolved throughout your career?

I am not sure I have a palette that I  typically work with.  Nothing is planned, it is all rather chaotic. Somewhere along the way a colour shouts  and becomes significant in a collection. Similarly, a shape or line might be what drives a series.   In one collection the most important element was my use of expanses of white, and only later did I realise that this came from my view over a snowy Central Park  on a trip to New York. 

Recently Blood Red Lake (a red paint as its name describes it) has played a significant role in recent work, but only in very small amounts.

V. The book is being released on September 2nd, and many are eagerly awaiting its launch. Is there anything in the book that you’re sharing for the first time? What aspects of your artistry or perhaps personal life are you revealing?

I do share something in the book  that I have not shared before. It was not an easy decision and there will be those who may judge me harshly. The experience  had such a profound influence on my work as an artist it would have been dishonest of me not to include it.  I do not think I would not be sharing it if my mother was still alive!

Photo by @artist.romanymarkbruce

V. Who or what sparks that creative flame for you when you’re thinking up new pieces?  

It can be something as minor as a shadow or a colour, a photograph from a newspaper, or even the shape of someone head sitting opposite me on a train. More often than not, that photograph will have been lost, I work in a somewhat frenetic manner, on five or six canvases at once, creating mayhem. 

I battle with clay or paint until something happens, a theme develops and only later, sometimes long after a collection is produced, do I reflect and understand where the inspiration might have come from. 

V. Are there specific people you would like to gift this book to first?

Yes, my mother who instilled me  with a work ethic, my father who taught me how to appreciate Irish culture, , and Paul Tay who gave me the freedom to follow my dreams. Sadly, they are no longer with us. 

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