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Bruce Herchenrader was born in Kitchener in 1949. Painting has been a life-long fascination for him. As a young student he showed an aptitude for painting, but in high school he was interested in the same things that interest most teenagers of that time. He grew through that tumultuous era that created the Beatles, Tommy, Hair, and the evolution of Kraft Dinner. Emerging from this and high school, he did not immediately turn to painting, but rather to a succession of different jobs. Finally in 1973, being disillusioned with most things he had put his hands to, he drifted back to his painting.
"I was brought back to painting not by any logical progression but more because of intuition. It was an internal motivation that I could never quite put my finger on until I realized the peace and pleasure I derived from the creative process". The artist has learned most things pertaining to his craft on his own. He credits the public libraries as being invaluable over the years allowing him access to the work of those artists he greatly admires. This avenue of approach to studying painting has allowed him to glean different techniques and incorporate them into his own emerging style. Over the years his works have been many and varied. His fascination with life's quieter nooks and crannies has led him to create a diverse range of subject matter. The human figure has been absent from his paintings so as to allow the viewer to project their own thoughts into them. In 1982 the artist produced his first original prints. Previous to that he had produced reproductions but never felt that these types of prints offered the quality of light and detail that his original watercolours did. Armed with determination and library books he set out to teach himself the fine art of producing serigraphs. The process of serigraphy allows the artist to create more than one original image by laying down multiple layers of ink. His serigraphs have now matured to the point where they have the same luminosity and brilliance as one of his watercolours. "I have derived a great deal of satisfaction from my work over the years and can only hope that those people who view my works will enjoy finding the same internal quite and solitude as I". SOLO EXHIBITIONS 1973 Kitchener Public Library, Kitchener Ontario Beginnings 1974 Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario 1975 Gallery O, Toronto, Ontario 1978 Gallery Blue, Kitchener, Ontario 1979 La Cantinetta, Toronto, Ontario 1980 Granite Club, Toronto, Ontario Timothy Phillips Art Foundation 1981 The Phillips Estate, Toronto, Ontario, Timothy Phillps Art Foundation 1982 Lynn Cottler Gallery, New York, New York 1982 Westmount Interiors, Waterloo, Ontario 1982 Arnak art Gallery, Buffalo, New York 1983-84 Kitchener Waterloo Public Art Gallery, Kitchener, Ontario 1984 Hang Ups Gallery, London, Ontario 1984 Gallery Nouvelle, Kitchener, Ontario 1984 Arnak Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York 1986 University Club, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario 1988 Arnak Art Buffalo, New York 1988 Barber Gallery, Guelph, Ontario 1988 Framing Experience, Kitchener, Ontario 1988 Homer Waston House, Kitchener, Ontario PRINCIPAL GROUP EXHIBITIONS 1973 Kitchener Waterloo Public Gallery, Artforms, 73 1974 Kitchener Waterloo Public Gallery, Artforms, 74 1974 Kitchener Waterloo Public Gallery, Arts Council Award Recipients 1975 Kitchener Waterloo Public Gallery, Artforms 75 1975 London Public Art Gallery 1976 University of Waterloo. Eight Form Town 1976 Kitchener Waterloo Public Gallery, Artforms,76 1976 Tom Thompson Art Gallery, Owen Sound, Ontario Jury Exhibition 1977 London Public Art Gallery, London, Ontario Jury Exhibition 1977 University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Images of Sports 1977 Gallery Chimers Invitational Group Show, Salem, Ontario 1978 Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery, Artforms,78 1979 Kitchener Waterloo Public Gallery Artforms,79 1980 Kitchener Waterloo Public Gallery, Artforms,80 1981 Kitchener Waterloo Public Gallery, Artforms,81 1981 Arnak Art Gallery, Buffalo New York, Timothy Phillips Art Foundation Group Show 1981 Westmount Interiors, Waterloo, Ontario Timothy Phillips Art Foundation Group Show 1982 Timothy Phillips Art Foundation, Toronto, ON, Ontario Institute of Painters Group Show 1982 Three Centuries Art Festival, Elora, Ontario 1983 International Print Exhibition. Republic of China Taipei Fine Arts Museum 1985 Kitchener Waterloo Public Gallery, Artforms,85 AWARDS 1974 Ontario Arts Council Award 1975 Ontario Arts Council Award 1976 Ontario Arts Council Award 1976 Tom Thompson Memorial Gallery and Museum. Honourable Mention 1985 Kitchener Waterloo Public Gallery. Jurors Award MAJOR COMMISSIONS 1984 Samuel Saidye Bronfman Art Foundation. A Gift to the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery 1986 The Labatt National Brier 1986 Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery Commemorative Print 1988 Sobara & Findley 1988 Kitchener Waterloo Rotary Polio Plus Kitchener Waterloo Public Art Gallery, Kitchener Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario London Public Art Gallery, London, Ontario Kitchener YMCA, Kitchener, Ontario Beatrice Food Corp., Chicago, IL Timothy Phillips Art Foundation, Toronto, Ontario London Free Press, London Ontario Budmark Textiles, Montreal, PQ Heritage Group, Waterloo, Ontario Occidental Petroleum, Stanford, Ontario People Care Centre of Texas Inc., Richardson, Texas |
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NEW! In the Gallery
