KRISTIAN BRUCE

The process begins with a word. Or, a grouping of words, a thought, an image, or a sentiment. Once I start moving the paint around, giving these things a sense of solidity, the painting informs the idea as much as the idea informs the painting. Occasionally, the result is the faithful execution of my original intention, but frequently I’m left with something I could have never planned. 

I try to avoid formulas. A smile of contradiction flashes across my face as I write this, because habit and repetition are repeat participants in the work. Maybe I have more formulas than I would like to acknowledge.

I predominantly use oil paint on linen. I like the way it smells, stubborn and permanent. The presence, weight, and materiality of the paint is a significant part of the work, along with the history that drags alongside (maybe behind) the medium.