LINDA BRUCE

Hawke’s Bay artist Linda Bruce has been working in the field of ceramics, sculpture and installation for many years.  Since completing a Diploma in Visual Arts & Design at EIT Hawke’s Bay in 1993 she has worked as a contemporary ceramic artist and sculptor as well as tutoring part time at EIT’s IDEAschool.

Her studies instilled an approach to artmaking of combining material exploration, design investigation and skilled craftsmanship to give mana to materials. Enjoying the tactile qualities of clay and concrete Linda experiments with ways in which to integrate both manufactured and site specific found materials in her work. The intersections of the handmade and the industrial, the organic and inorganic are places of tension and curiosity in her work.

Linda is especially interested in creating works that relate to environmental issues. Her focus is on the contemporary challenge we have as a society to negotiate development and growth with the protection of water quality and the biodiversity of native flora and fauna.  She explores the ongoing meeting points of Maori, Pakeha and the natural environment to uncover places where contemporary and historical voices meet.  Her artworks link arts and science in the visual representation of the beauty, diversity and imperfection of the natural and man-made worlds.