BRUCE
MCGOWAN
IN THE
MAKING
 

Bruce McGowan began his journey in the suburbs of Montreal, where he was raised. Born in 1973 and the youngest of 6, Bruce got culturally influenced from his multigenerational siblings. From one showing him how to use an airbrush, to another introducing him to art books. While his father made Folk art sculptures by sticking eye cutouts from magazines onto driftwood or making a yard lamp out of a pickled egg jar and a wheel cap, his mother was making oil paintings when she retired from teaching."Seeing my mom, all cosy with her aisle in front of the bay window, made me want to be in that same creative bubble and experiment with paint and brushes. One day I borrowed a few paint tubes and brushes and just went at it. I still have those by the way". As a teen, Bruce painted billboards and drew flyers for bars and clubs in the area to pay for his outings.

 

From childhood, he has been fascinated by art and cartoons, blending classical and contemporary influences to fuel his work. McGowan drew constantly with Bic ballpoint pens or pencils, inspired from the cartoons he use to watch or read, Disney, Warner Bros, Belgian comics, MAD, Cracked Magazines, Norman Rockwell, Surrealism, Pop Art, Commercial Art, Rococo, his brother's Heavy Metal album covers and the underground art of Robert Williams, which cracked his mind open, like he'd say. His inspirations and love for contemporary art grew and evolved in parallel with the current art scene through the years, to this present time. After Art School, he studied Advertising and Conceptual Design. Today he works from his studio in Montreal, contemporary artist and Creative Director, seamlessly merging his day job in advertising with his artistic practice.

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His art transcends traditional boundaries, working across diverse mediums—painting, sculpture, digital art, installation, stop-motion animation and film—McGowan explores his ideas with precision and depth with artistic chemistry. Inviting viewers into a space where imagination and reality intertwine. Drawing from the complexities of modern life, McGowan sometimes critiques the paradox of commercialism while sparking curiosity and wonder with his audience. His multidisciplinary approach reflects his dedication to continuous creative exploration.

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McGowan’s work has earned international recognition, including exhibitions at Sotheby’s in NYC,

features in Hi-Fructose, Gallery exhibitions in L.A, Santa Barbara, New York and Fairs across the U.S. His selection for the 2018 Ad Art Show, curated by Erik Shiner, cemented his place in the contemporary art scene. He remains an active participant in the Ad Art Shows, continually evolving his approach to artistry.

 

 

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"I love challenging myself in trying to express the "now" vibe in a spontaneous way, because figurative art is such a slower process than abstract art for example. Where your brain has too much time to think, it quickly tries to figure out the idea and subject matter. So my process is to be spontaneous when I do the under drawing, which gives way to improvisation while my artist antena captures the "now" waves. The pencil becomes my brush. Not easy, but so liberating.

This creates a space to generously explode visually, where things happen organically and simultaneously, creating harmony in chaos. It's like a raw reflection of our over informed society.

A modern dramatization in a sugarcoated wrapping that's beautiful from far, but once you get closer to consume the painting, you then absorb the ingredients. A baroque composition in a contemporary atmosphere. Then the biggest challenge, is paint fast enough to stay in the "now".