In the Studio with Bruce Reynolds

Join artist Bruce Reynolds from his studio in Brisbane.

Bruce Reynolds is a Brisbane based artist whose practice responds to the urban environment using its materiality to evoke a dialogue between recent histories and the archaic. He has made trips to Bangladesh, China, Malta, and Rome to pursue the historic migration of ideas and forms linking Europe and Asia.

Bruce grew up in Canberra and his migrant background is English and Nigerian. He studied painting in Melbourne and has lectured at several Australian art schools in painting, photography, inter-media and sculpture.

Exhibitions of studio work this year include Two and a half Dimensions at Schmick Gallery, Sydney; Original Cast in Gladstone and New Works at Sophie Gannon, Melbourne. Bruce completed a public art commission for Newstead Central in Brisbane, including a free-standing sculpture and an architectural frieze in relief, Oceania 2019 and exhibited Picture Sculpture in Woolloongabba, last year.

He is represented in the collections of the Queensland Art Gallery, Museum of Brisbane, Artbank, QUT and UQ Art Museums, Canberra Museum and Gallery and regional art galleries.

“What links painting and sculpture is the way we reconcile our decorative impulses, our pragmatism and our shared histories.” Bruce Reynolds

For Bruce’s Workshop we recommend working in groups. This is a great opportunity to work with your colleagues / friends to gather all materials and have an enriching afternoon making artworks together.

Materials List:

• a piece of PE foam sheet - you could use a section from interlocking foam floor mat as sold at Bunnings (or old thongs without toe straps)
• snap blade knife with new blades
• a rolled slab of clay roughly 15mm thick of the size of the intended work - about 20x 30cm
• objects to use for creating impressions in the clay (for example - soft fur won't be as useful as a metal fork or a plastic textured toy)
• 4 short lengths of pine to improvise a frame
• plaster
• pigment (optional)
• short length of wire (can use coat hanger) pliers to cut
• a release agent to prevent plaster sticking to mould - can use spray can of veg oil, lanolin, degreaser or detergent (diluted washing up liquid)
• bucket (mask and gloves for the sensitive skin) - plaster will dry out your skin. Bruce suggest applying olive oil or moisturiser after each session.
• optionally consider having an experimental way of enclosing any surplus plaster. - an expendable item.