October Artist of the Month
Meet Eddie Bruckner
Professional Artist Eddie Bruckner’s art is meant to put a smile on the face of the beholder. It is instantly recognizable and never fails to delight. Bruckner has developed his style to include bright colors, bold lines and a mosaic tile structure. “My art is mostly about fun, happy things…at the same time, my art is intended to give the viewer a unique way to experience familiar people, places and objects.” His subjects include iconic images such as Marilyn Monroe, the Eiffel Tower, the Boston Citgo Sign, and Oreo cookies.
Despite the engaging objects he paints, Bruckner is more focused on style than on subject matter. His mosaic tile illusion provides cohesion to his pieces and provides harmony. The confetti-like background exudes fun, happiness, and exhilaration. His unique style is in many ways influenced by his time spent living in Los Angeles and Miami.
It is no surprise that Bruckner has been commissioned to create many Public Art projects. He is passionate about creating art for everyone. In August 2020, his artwork was selected by New York City’s Rockefeller Center, along with notable artists and designers like Jeff Koons, Christian Siriano, Carmen Herrera, KAWS, and others. Each artist’s work was transformed into a 5’x8’ flag that was hung on the famous flagpoles that surround the Rink at Rockefeller Center. The art installation was meant to embody the strength of New York City during the COVD crisis. Bruckner said that his flag design is based on an original acrylic on canvas painting titled, “Liberty,” portraying the Statue of Liberty holding her torch high and proud, against a blue mosaic-like sky. Bruckner shares, “In many ways the illusion of mosaic tile (it’s all paint) represents the melting pot of people, cultures, and immigrants, who arrived in NYC in the past, as well as those who call New York City home today.”
He also created a painted piano for the Celebrity Series of Boston and the global art installation, “Play Me, I’m Yours.” He was honored to have his piano selected to be placed at City Hall Plaza for the press event. He took immense joy watching people of all ages from all over the world and all walks of life sit down and play his piano. “It was amazing—there were young children playing beautiful concertos all across Boston on unique, painted pianos.” Bruckner shared that one of his greatest memories was having the official organist from the Boston Bruins, Ron Poster, play his painted piano at a special community event, called “Party At The Piano” at City Hall Plaza. “It was so much fun to hear him play, and see Bostonians and tourists come together to share in the fun. It was extra special to have my wife Debra and two kids, Rachel & Sam, my wonderful and supportive in-laws, along with extended family and friends to celebrate together.”
Bruckner has also painted several electrical boxes—now pieces of art: “Natick Pride And The Boston Marathon” along the Boston Marathon route, the “Fenway PaintBox” steps away from Fenway Park, and he just completed another unique public art piece commissioned by the City of Boston along the Rose Kennedy Greenway on the corner of Atlantic Avenue and State Street, near the New England Aquarium. This “beautification of space brings people together and makes us smile.” Bruckner enjoys not only the creation of art but also the installation process which often becomes a community event.
To promote the arts and the importance of music education throughout New England, the Ernie Boch Jr. Foundation and the non-profit Music Drives Us selected Bruckner to create a painted fiberglass guitar for “Music, Love & Rock ‘N’ Roll GuitARTS” Public Art project. The guitar was auctioned for the charitable cause and was gifted by the winning bidder to the Mansfield High School Music Department. You can watch the process for many of these projects on Bruckner’s YouTube channel. Eddie shared that he has a few other exciting public art projects in the works and would love to do a larger mural or even transform his unique style of painting into something sculptural. “I have a few ideas on how to do this and am looking to partner with businesses, organizations, or communities in the Boston area.”
Another fun fact for Bruckner is that his paintings are slated to be part of the set design for two feature-length movies, that are currently in the casting stage of pre-production.
As he loves to reach so many with his art, Eddie also enjoys teaching art to kids and adults. “I really enjoy teaching private art instruction, one-on-one lessons. When I teach, I do not typically teach my own abstract or Pop-Art style, I teach the basic elements of art focusing on technique. After a while of working with a student on one medium whether it be drawing or painting, I always like to encourage my students to try different mediums because the more well-rounded you are as an artist, the better artist you will become. If you love painting, try drawing, if you love drawing, try colored pencils…” While he teaches Colored Pencils, Beginning Painting and Beginning Drawing classes through Needham and Newton Community Education, he prefers private instruction to be able to give 100% of his attention and focus to his student, carefully watching color mixing techniques, brush selection, pencil choice, and even watching how much pressure is being used with the brush or pencil. I like my personalized approach to art instruction because I can teach people drawing or painting techniques that they can use to develop their own style and be able to express themselves creatively in their own way. During COVID isolation, Eddie has been successful at moving all his art instruction online via Zoom. Eddie shared that, “At this unique time, when kids are returning to school via remote or hybrid model, it’s a good time to be thinking about art education and instruction. I hear from parents who are eager to find quality art lessons online for their children. Adults are also looking to keep busy and develop their artistic abilities.”
Coming next for Bruckner is a solo show at the Natick Mall in November 2020. He has just finished nine paintings, many inspired by some of the pioneers of the Pop-Art movement such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring, Jeff Koons, and Robert Indiana. “I paint anything that makes me happy or I think would make other people happy when they see it. As a Pop Artist, I love to paint popular things using my signature style, whether they be famous people, iconic places, or lovable characters, words, or abstractions. There is a lot of variety in my artwork ranging from paintings of Oreo Cookies and Hershey’s Kisses, to, Madonna or Marilyn Monroe, to Boston’s Citgo Sign and the Last Vegas Sign, to paintings of colorful puppy dogs and Hello Kitty. Observing the first time a collector sees my artwork in their home is something that thrills me. It’s an inspiring reminder of the transformative impact a painting can have on the overall look of a room and the pleasure it gives people.”
In addition to selling his original paintings on his own website EddieBruckner.com, Eddie recently opened an ETSY Shop to reach a wider audience selling limited edition prints and merchandise with images of his artwork. Many of his original paintings are also for sale online at Perigold.com, the luxury division of Wayfair.com, where he has had success selling his artwork.
He exhibits widely in the local community and throughout New England, and is proud to be a member of the WSA and an artist-member of the Attleboro Art Museum. Beyond these communities, he has exhibited all over the country with shows in New York, Texas, California, Missouri, New Jersey, and on Newbury Street in Boston. One of his recent Citgo Sign paintings is currently in the 26th Annual Juried Show at the Zullo Gallery Center for the Arts of Medfield.
Bruckner wants the audience to connect to his art and enjoy the experience. For him, his art “is the visual language of happiness, love, and the beautification of physical space.”
Website: EddieBruckner.com
Eddie Bruckner Fine Art YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCamBWngXFOwL9AZhBjoy24A
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/EddieBrucknerFineArt
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/EddieBrucknerFineArt
ETSY Shop: Etsy.com/shop/EddieBrucknerFineArt
His children are now grown and his son just bought his first sailboat at age 26. About 3-4 years ago, Barnard’s painting took off once again. He remains self-taught and continues to develop his own style and techniques. He recently painted a water scene for his daughter and her husband who are running a medical business in Nigeria. His art continues to evolve and take on more meaning. Currently he is working on a series of landscapes with hidden features dealing with the progression of life and death. Water Over the Dam, painted after the passing of his mother, is a compilation of scenes, including the church in England where he went as a child, the South Natick Dam where he now loves to kayak and an image of a man on a bench with his head in his hands. This piece was awarded Honorable Mention in a WSA show.
In high school, she had a very influential art teacher who hoped that she would attend an art school for college. Erickson thought this might limit her too much so she attended the College of the Holy Cross as a math major. Art, however, was calling to her again. She had a difficult decision because she was accepted to Syracuse for their art program but had already fallen in love with Holy Cross; she stayed at her beloved school as an art major focusing on graphic design. After graduating, Erickson did a tutorial in painting and printmaking with a professor at Holy Cross and realizes now, “they really created a graduate program for me”.
Erickson continued on at the Danforth in an advanced watercolor painting workshop taught by Elizabeth Magilligan. The group had become very close after years of painting together and when Magilligan stopped teaching they formed their own painting group meeting in a hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The group, eventually called the Watercolor Connection, has painted together weekly for the last 12 years. To Erickson, “painting with my group is sacred time.”
Unger credits two instructors for much of her training: Sarah Alexander at the Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary and WSA’s Nan Rumpf. She paints watercolors on aquabord and has recently been painting wax resist watercolors which she finds “exciting and liberating; I enjoy the limited choices that the wax allows…and the speed of this process.” Finding another new interest in woodworking, Yvonne has also begun to frame her own pieces.
So, what’s next for Unger? She is looking forward to an Abstract Watercolor Class taught by WSA member Sally Meding and “less realistic and less detailed painting.” She continues to paint and learn and finds painting to be a wonderful meditation. Her husband and daughter are two of her biggest fans and supporters.
Helen Turner has been painting for a mere seventy years. She began after transferring to Wayne State University in Michigan and thought it was time to start studying something new. She had been studying business at Fischer College but decided to major in Art and Science at Wayne. She moved back to Wellesley after graduation but never put down her paintbrush. 
Upon her return home, Turner studied with Artist Deborah Bates and currently studies with Maris Platais. Bates introduced Turner to acrylic painting, which is now her preferred medium. An avid gardener, Helen continues to paint florals and landscapes, often with birds and other animals. All of her sons are great admirers of both their mom and of her artwork. She often includes her grandchildren in nature scenes as well as “anything her sons ask for.” Painting has been a cherished part of Turner’s life, allowing her both to pleasantly “get lost for hours” and to share the beauty she creates with her loved ones.
Yale Nicolls grew up on the water in Darien, Connecticut to a family of art lovers. Both of her parents had painted earlier in their lives, but Yale mainly recalls their interest in acquiring fine art. As a child she spent a good deal of time in the smoke-filled rooms of auction houses where her mother often left with treasured pieces of art which now line the corridors of the Nicolls’ home. While she had no formal training until later in life, Yale fondly remembers making carvings from Ivory soap when she wasn’t swimming or playing tennis.
Nicolls had a great deal of success on the tennis court and met her husband Jim at a national match at Longwood at age 15. While she dated other people during college, it was always Jim who kept her interest with his prolific correspondence. She attended University of Southern California where she played tennis and then transferred to Barnard graduating with a degree in Philosophy. She and Jim reunited, married and finally settled in Wellesley. Nicolls taught tennis along the way and racked up 20 years as a professional at the Wellesley Tennis Association. Five children and a lot of Play-Doh sessions later, Yale’s interests in Arts and Crafts was renewed.
Nicolls joined the WSA in 2004 and has served on the board as secretary, then president and now secretary again. She saved the WSA from dissolution when she first took over as president and served in this capacity for a total of 8 years, including years when she co-presided with Bobbie Suratt. Nicolls has now mastered acrylic painting working with Maris Platais. It is no surprise that one of her favorite subjects is the ocean, especially the coast of Maine, though all of nature is an inspiration for Yale. Their beloved dogs and capturing each one’s distinctive personalities on canvas provide endless motivation for this artist.
England Watercolor Society as well as the Rhode Island Watercolor Society and still paints regularly with the Watercolor Connection in Natick. She has exhibited in a number of juried National and Regional Shows. A new award has just been established by the WSA in honor of Nicolls in recognition for her years of service and leadership. The “Yale Nicolls Award for Interpretation of the Natural World” will be awarded annually at the WSA Fall Library Show.