Bruce Williamson Biography

Bruce WilliamsonBruce L. Williamson is a representational artist whose passion to paint is inspired by the beauty of the world around him. In his distinctive "alla prima" style he uses bold brush strokes and beautiful colors to create striking renditions of people, places and objects. He believes that good paintings are founded on a strong underlying pattern of light and shade. His paintings have strong compositions where objects in light emerge from the shadows. His portraits seem to capture the personality of his subject. Since overhearing an admirer at one of his shows he has expressed his goal as, "To help others see beauty";. Someone was speaking of an object in a painting saying, "Look you can see right through this bottle, look at the color, the reflections, just like real glass. It is beautiful!" ; Bruce comments, "The subject was merely an empty wine bottle that the man would have passed by without taking notice had it been on a table rather than in my painting. I helped him to see as the artist does."

Born in Oakville Ontario Canada, his association with art goes back a long way. His uncle owned an art gallery where Bruce displayed and sold numerous paintings. His mother was a watercolorist and her great grandfather, Sir Sanford Fleming, designed the first Canadian stamp. After a college level art program under John Damm ARS, he went to the Art Student's League of New York to study under Robert Brackman; one of America's most sought after teachers in the painting craft. He has since broadened his studies by working under David Leffel, Greg Kreutz, Matt Smith, Dan Gerhartz, Hongnian Zhang, Joe Anna Arnett, Quang Ho, and William Kalwick Jr.

As a young adult Bruce left painting to become a Catholic Priest. During that time he traveled internationally, spending seven years in Rome where he was ordained by Pope John Paul II. While there at the University of St. Thomas Aquinas, he had the great opportunity to follow the remarkable journey of and to work with Mother Teresa. It was during this period in Europe, studying the great figures of art history, that his talent as an artist were most influenced.

Bruce has won many awards over the years. In the 2008 entry of the Houston Civic Art Association (HCAA) show, he won first in Professional Portrait and Second, along with an Honorable mention in Professional Oil. He was a finalist in the internationally acclaimed 23 Annual Artist's Magazine Competition. Salon International, sponsored by the International Museum of Contemporary Masters of Fine Art, at the Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio, selected his entry in 2006, and 2008. In 2005 he won First place in the HCAA Professional Oil Show. He won First Place in the Pasadena League Art Show (2000). A member of the National Society of Artists (NSA), he has shown twice in their National Juried Show and was awarded Best of Show in their Membership Exhibit (1999) A member also of the Oil Painters of Americas (OPA) he has shown work in their National Juried Exhibition. He completed a very successful one-man show in Italy (Sassari) and several in Houston. His paintings hang in homes in Europe, North and South America.

He travels to give Oil Painting Workshops in Florida and St. Croix VI. At home in Houston, he gives Demos and Workshops and, in his studio he teaches oil painting classes. He is currently represented by galleries in Houston, Dallas, Salado, St. Croix and Jacksonville Florida. He also donates works to several charitable foundations.

He has also authored a book: What Shall I Give? A Spiritual Journey. It is about his own amazing journey. He hopes it will be published in the New Year. Back to Bruce's oil paintings.