Bruce 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!" The subject was merely an empty wine bottle” Bruce comments, “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. 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. His paintings hang in homes in Europe, North and South America. He travels to give Oil Painting Workshops, Demos and Workshops. In his studio he teaches oil painting classes. He is currently represented by galleries in Houston and Round Top, TX. He also donates works to several charitable foundations. He has also authored a book: The Threshold of Eternity, A Spiritual Journey. It is about his own amazing journey. He hopes it will be published in the new year.
