Saturday Art Saves: Bruce Chanter

Aperitif in Aix Bruce Chanter

                  

Painting and Photo Bruce Chanter: 

Aperitif in Aix Aix-en-Provence

Every Saturday I focus on a different artist that I admire. From potters to painters, chefs to collectors, seamstress to songwriters, lifestyle to lovers... anyone who set the paintbrush, pastry brush, hands and heart on fire to create.

Those who inspire art to flow where it may.

                 

Painting and Photo Bruce Chanter: Coffee in St. Germain

Australian artist Bruce Chanter has been painting and drawing all his life. He trained at the prestigious Julian Ashton Art Academy in Sydney during the 60’s, later furthering his studies at East Sydney Art School. Following a corporate career in advertising and retail, Bruce returned to the easel full time in the late 90’s to pursue his passion for painting. Bruce sees painting as a revelation of the places and people he paints. It is a celebration of the more joyful aspects of life and hopes that his belief that art should be uplifting is experienced by viewers of his work.

Painting and photo by Bruce Chanter: Morning Ritual

Bruce paints oils both outdoors “plein-air” and in his studio using the alla-prima technique of the Impressionists, in one wet. He likes to get the painting “down” to retain spontaneity and vigour, not labor over it for weeks or months. Bruce describes himself as a “painterly realist” but easily drifts into a more impressionistic approach if an atmospheric subject requires it. The texture of the brushwork and obvious application of paint are an important characteristic of Bruce’s work. He likes the viewer to see evidence of the artist’s hand at work across the canvas.

Painting and photo by Bruce Chanter: Peaceful liaison-St Germain de Livet chateau Normandy

Bruce loves to paint the beautiful Sydney south coast where he lives, rugged inland Australia and in recent years the land of his heritage, France. France provides a different experience altogether – softer, bluer light, ancient buildings and villages, varying landscape and seasonal changes are all inspiring. He and his wife drive slowly all over France, staying in small villages off the tourist routes. They immerse themselves in the atmosphere, culture, history and lifestyle of the area to capture the feeling of it in pigment. Of course his beloved Paris also features in many of his works too. The sensory journey experienced enables Bruce to capture a real sense of a place, not just its motifs. He endeavours to show the effect and mood of the light in his work too, in interesting compositions.

Saturday Art Saves Bruce Chanter's Artistry

                   

Painting and photo by Bruce Chanter: Chat on Alexandre - Paris



His early classical training ensures he uses time honoured studio practises,

to provide animportant archival quality to the work. 

Bruce is keenly interested in the craft of painting.

He has studied the history of paint pigments, 

their composition, properties and restoration work done in 

the world’s great galleries. 

From this research and quite a lot of 

testing he now only uses the best quality paint and mediums

like Old Holland, Royal Talens, Gamblin, 

and Michael Harding depending on each color.

Bruce paints on quality Belgian linen canvas preparing the ground himself 

using traditional artisan priming methods.



 


 
Bruce Chanter.

Painting and photo by Bruce Chanter.

For his French exhibitions, Bruce endeavours to show everyday life in France. Spending a couple of months traveling around France provides the time to find and record the subjects he loves. Street scenes of Paris at different times of day, town markets, a game of Petanque, village gardens, cafes and the country’s varying landscape all make a diverse variety of painterly impressions. Over thirty five paintings in all are exhibited in beautiful frames (some sourced in France) to recreate a similar ambiance to the wonderful Paris galleries, where eclectic frames range from plain gold to ornate mouldings.