About The Artist
I presently live in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on the south shore of Lake Ontario. This area and the nearby Niagara Peninsula has been my home most of my life.
I enjoyed drawing and painting throughout my school years and when I was thirteen, I began taking group classes with Hamilton artist Lydia Hill. Forty years later we are still good friends. I learned a lot in her informal classes and I still seek out her advice on occasion when I am stumped with a painting situation. I studied drawing and panting in university as well as drama and business. Years later, I did my graduate studies in Theatre Design at the University of Calgary, Alberta.
After school I worked for fifteen years in business. I always liked production and sales. At the age of 30, I developed eyesight problems, which became complicated. I was faced with near blindness after a year and my only option was surgery. Due to complications, the normally routine surgery would be difficult and the chances of success were not good. I felt I had nothing to lose and with faith, hope and an excellent surgeon, went ahead. My sight was restored in two successful operations.
It was then that I felt I should do something more rewarding with my time, something that would use my precious eyesight. I had always had a keen interest in theatrical scenery since childhood, and had done some work designing and panting scenery part-time. After a hiatus from work, I quit my business career, phoned the National Ballet Company of Canada and got a job as a scenic artist. I loved the work and continued from company to company across the country as well as designing the occasional show.
Many fellow scenic artists I have worked with in the business feel the work has not helped their own artwork or has hindered their time for it. I have found in some cases I have learned a lot from it and have been able to apply some of what I do to my own work.
If "all the world's a stage...",. I strongly identify with the crossover of the design effect, or "staged" effect between my stage work and my artwork. I often feel I am standing in some grand stage set when I am out in a landscape or architectural setting. Likewise, when I design for the stage, I feel like I am creating a whole environment or "world" on the stage. I have always been drawn to artwork with a "stage set" quality or feel to it such as in British artist, Paul Nash's work. So, when painting a picture, I reduce the big scene down to a small scale on canvas or paper. When designing a stage set, I try to achieve the feeling of as much space as possible in a confined area of the theatre.
As most artists, I like a variety of art forms and artist' work. Since childhood, I have always had a special affinity for modern American art of the twentieth century, particularly the Ashcan School in the East, and the California School of watercolour painters in the West. I also like much of the British art of the same time.
Another influence I have always enjoyed is American illustration art of the twentieth century. When doing my own painting, I have always held to the idea of a well-executed piece with finish - a joy in itself regardless of subject. I am not the kind of person who paints only for myself. My personal input is important, but I need the person viewing to make a connection with the pictures as well. This need for audience reaction or identification is vital to me as an artist whether designing a stage setting or painting a picture.
For the last several years, I have been working in commercial scenic shops in the Hamilton, Toronto area doing scenic art and painting for productions that go out across Canada and the US.
I hope you enjoy at least some of my work and send along your comments if you like; I would enjoy hearing from you.
With my best wishes and thanks for your time.
Bruce Repei