"Bruce Burkholder:  A Life's Pursuit"

a retrospective exhibition featuring paints & drawings
from childhood through the completion,
and formal unveiling, of his 20-year project
"History Holds the Future"
 

January 29  -  February 27, 2010
 

See Photos of the Exhibition and Opening Reception

Artist Statement

There is a time and place for all styles of art, from computers to the human touch.

One fine Christmas morning in 1959, at the age of seven, I received a drawing set.  From that point on, I mentally
knew I was an artist.  Even in my kindergarten days, jumbo crayons would excite me. My art has always been.  My pursuit of art has never ended and my art will never end, no matter what roller coaster ride comes my way.   

Being a realist painter, the paintings take long tedious hours, months, and years to complete. There are no short
cuts for the way I paint. I'm not into the quantity; I strive only for a quality in what I do.  Almost every realistic
painting I do is done from a photograph.  I work from my own photographs, with the exception of commission works,
and then I work with what sources are supplied. Photographs allow me to study the subject over and over. The photos are like road maps for the way I paint.  I find great pleasure in seeing things as they are, because sometimes the real things are so unreal.

I let things happen as they are, I usually don't set up subjects for my paintings. I like to let the reactions to a certain subject take care it of itself. At times I rearrange the composition, but I like to stay close to the natural situation.    
The brush strokes are like musical notes or words in a book; when misplaced or used incorrectly, the meaning is lost.  

Every realistic painting goes through many abstract stages before the real illusion is reached.   It’s not always what
we see, but what we feel when we see.  

My direction is to reach the most people that I can with my work. To give people pleasure in what they see and feel with my art.   The goal is to share my creative feelings so that others may enjoy my work and that the art can give
life back long after the days I've spent on this planet.   

We live in a rocking chair of time since we can see our past we can view our present, and try to catch up with the future.   When we close our eyes, our eyelids become movie screens for our dreams.
 

Bruce Burkholder

January 2010