Bruce Bunting: Paper Frames

March 3 – April 1, 2023
Bruce Bunting: Paper Frames
Opening reception: Friday, March 3, 5:00-9:00 PM
Gallery hours: Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Friday (except Mar 17) 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM, and Saturday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

During this year-long project, I more fully merged my art with the frames in which it is displayed. Previously I created paper-based art on a wooden base and then enclosed the base with wood strips to create a shadow box, a precise technique. I began to wonder if I could also cast my frames from paper to integrate them more fully with the art. Because of the large amount of pulp needed, I use my paper making stamp mill to work with raw plant materials for the frames. The different plant materials in conjunction with how they were processed and dried are responsible for the color, texture, shrinkage, and distortion of the individual frames. Some of the art therefore is cast as part of the frame and then decorated, while other works are inserted into the frames in the form of collages. My subject matter has many influences and is generally whimsical and macabre.

Bruce Bunting is a retired automotive engineer and self-taught artist. He has always been interested in art as a viewer and a maker; as well, he is an avid do-it-yourselfer. When he retired and began devoting more time to art, he settled on papermaking because it represents a juxtaposition of equipment, materials, chemistry and art. While normally quite expensive to become a fully equipped papermaker, he built and adapted all his equipment at relatively low cost. He continually seeks to collaborate with other artists.