People are either totally fascinated or disturbed by my use of pins and needles in my work and very rarely immune . Since I prefer to work with opposites I find these opposing viewpoints are very apt. I believe my work gets its balance both visually and ethereally by using contrasting elements. When you think of a pin it’s a very feminine object, but it’s hard, straight and sharp. Yet, it’s used with fabrics which are soft, flexible and warm.
By far the piece that draws the most attention when it comes to my use of pins is “Pin Point”. Pin Point is a cast beeswax figure draped in wax muslin, carved into and plied with hundreds of straight pins. I think Wes Fortune said it best in the review of “MiniArture”.
“The works of Calgary-based artist Kim Bruce illustrate this point in the most elegant fashion. The former interior designer now full time artist creates sculptures that provoke musings about her state of physical, emotional and spiritual well-being and ultimately, our own.”
Wes LaFortune, ffwd,
It’s a small world: Vol 9 No 10, Feb 12, 2004 (PDF)
Pin Point made it into the New York Times when they wrote an article on R & F Handmade (encasutic) Paints at the same time that I was included in a group exhibition at their gallery.
Pin Point will be exhibited in Toronto in the Sculptors Society of Canada’s show this August to Sept 2010.The other pin piece selected for the exhibit is “Pin Head ll” and a non-pin piece “Gangsta” from the All in My Head series. So if you are in Toronto I invite you to stop by. Please see my “Exhibits” page for details.
Here are some other works with pins, needles and safety pins including Pin Head ll.