A Man of Few Words…

 

Story written by Lianne Lahaie
Appeared in the April 11th, 2007 edition of the EMC

When Paul Bruneau looks at a chunk of stone, he sees more than a seemingly shapeless piece of earthy or mineral matter. He sees more than anyone else can see – he sees a work of art.

Bruneau is a stone sculptor who is carving a name for himself in the art world. Those who have been privileged enough to see Bruneau’s beautiful and unique pieces up close are often shocked by the range of emotions they experience. Some have been enveloped in warmth and joy, while others have been moved to tears.

When asked how it feels to know that his artwork has the power to invoke such a wide range of emotions and feelings in people, Bruneau said that’s the whole point of art – to make people feel and experience something when they look at a particular piece.

“There’s a part of me in every piece I create,” Bruneau said. “I experience different emotions when I work and those emotions make their way into whatever I’m creating. I get a great sense of satisfaction and joy when I hear people tell me about how a certain piece made them feel. I want to make people happy…I want them to feel something.”

Born in the fall of 1974 in Timmins, Ont. to Paul Moore and Harriet Restoule, Bruneau is a full-blood Ojibway native and a member of the Mattagami First Nations Reserve. He and his brother, Justin, were adopted by Gaetan Bruneau and Nancy Command in 1984, and raised in the country on a small hobby farm in Ferguson’s Falls.

Bruneau’s artistic ability first manifested as a child when his love of drawing and craft-making became apparent. The intense effort and enthusiasm he brought to each project reflected an overwhelming desire to create and express his inner self through artistic endeavours.

Anxious to discover life beyond the confines of the tiny hamlet of Ferguson’s Falls and become independent, Bruneau eventually moved to Ottawa. He learned to augment employment income with sales of his crafts, which included dream catchers, medicine wheels and jewellry.

These projects were enough to soothe Bruneau’s artistic nature as he made his way into the workforce taking on jobs in construction and as a truck driver, but only temporarily. He had no idea that only a few years later, he would be guided toward his true calling as a stone sculptor.

In 2000, Bruneau reunited with a childhood friend, Idris Moss-Davies, who had become a full-time sculptor. Bruneau said Moss-Davies invited him to work with him and was stunned when Bruneau’s natural talent for sculpting instantly emerged.

“I made a bear’s head and I sold it the next day,” Bruneau recalled. “Idris told me I didn’t need his help and told me to just to with it. That’s what I did.”

At that point, Bruneau decided to abandon the traditional workforce and focus all of his time and attention on developing his skill as an artist. He has been carving and sculpting professionally for five years and is intent on making a living as an artist. It is important to note that Bruneau is a self-taught artist, relying on the lessons life and experience have to teach him.

“This is what I want to do…there isn’t anything else,” he stated. “This is my life…this is what makes me happy. It isn’t easy making a living this way and it can get very frustrating at times. There are days where I feel like just locking up my workshop and doing something else. But I believe that I can do this and I believe that I can go far with this. I just have to believe I can do it and it will happen for me.”

He noted that there are three levels to his art – The Real, The Spiritual and The Abstract.

The Real, he explained, includes carvings and sculptures of animals and people, which are the subjects he carved when he was just learning his craft.

The Spiritual, he said, is exactly that – a spiritual connection that provides the guidance he needs to create thought-provoking reflections such as the wendigo, a supernatural being with great spiritual power. The wendigo is part of the traditional belief systems of various native tribes in the northern United States and Canada, most notably the Ojibwa/Saulteaux, the Cree, and the Innu/Naskapi/Montagnais.

The final level, Bruneau said, is The Abstract, which are pieces full of unleashed emotions and are created using guidance from the stone itself.

“The abstract pieces I am creating now are very free-flowing forms,” Bruneau remarked. “Unless someone specifically asks for something – like a turtle or a person – I just let the stone guide me. I follow the guideline the stone gives me and it becomes something beautiful.”

Bruneau works with a variety of mediums, including serpentine, marble, slat, pipe stone, soapstone, ivory, and deer and moose antler. His pieces have been sold in galleries such as Gallerie D’Art Vincent, Chateau Laurier, Ottawa; Maslak McLeod Gallery, Toronto; The Guild Shop, Toronto; The Arctic Bear, Toronto; Snow Goose, Ottawa; and the Gallery of the Kanadas, Ottawa. In addition to galleries in Toronto, Ottawa and Quebec City, his pieces have also sold all over the world to people in Italy, Germany, the United States, the Bahamas and Mexico.

Unfortunately, the tools Bruneau requires to create his masterpieces are very expensive and although he takes the money he makes from selling his work and invests it right back into his art, it’s just not enough.

Of course, Bruneau is an artist and would rather spend his time creating instead of coming up with a business plan and learning how to market himself effectively. However, he said he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make sure people know who he is and see his work.

As previously mentioned, Bruneau is extremely proud of his native heritage. Both he and his brother were strongly encouraged by their adoptive parents to keep their native heritage and traditions alive.

“My culture has a huge impact on my pieces,” Bruneau commented. “I try to bring as much of it as I can to each piece I create. There are pieces of me…pieces of my culture in every single piece.”

Bruneau participates in cleansing ceremonies that involve the burning of sage and sweet grass. He is also an accomplished native dancer and attends ceremonies and pow wows to participate and perform in intricately detailed costumes that have been painstakingly handmade by himself.

“Dancing is something I truly love and enjoy,” Bruneau stated. “It takes a lot of energy to do and I get a great sense of happiness when I perform for others. It’s very inspiring.”

When asked where he sees himself in the future, Bruneau’s vision is quite clear – he wants to be an internationally acclaimed artist with an adequate studio and gallery and he wants to be able to create without having to worry about how he’s going to afford the next expensive tool he needs. He wants to be in a position where he can create for himself, as well as others, and said he wouldn’t mind being commissioned to do large commercial pieces.

“I believe that my talent is a gift from the Creator,” he said. “The Creator has given me this tremendous gift and I have to do something with it. It’s not always easy, there are good days and bad days, but this is what I want. I love what I do, I love making people happy (through my work) and I love talking to people about my work. It’s been a wonderful journey so far and it’s not over yet. Not by a long shot.”