ABOUT Me & My Work
Thomas Bucci’s journey from graphic designer to architect to full-time artist has been an evolving creative path. His background in design and architecture influences his artistic style, adding depth and structure to his work. He lives in Maine with his wife and their beloved terrier.
Why Watercolor?
I’ve chosen watercolor for its gestural quality, capriciousness, and spontaneity. Watercolor allows me to quickly suggest the main shapes with loose washes. Then a few well placed marks with a flicker of a brush tip conjure the illusion of detail, without actually painting all those details and leads the eye to recognize familiar objects. So the viewer “sees” things that aren’t really there. It allows them to participate in the painting as they decipher the marks and interpret the scene. This approach requires me to work quickly which has its risks; risks I’m willing to take to realize watercolor’s potential.
My Approach to Painting
I am happiest when painting on location and directly from life. Although I like to work “en plein air,” I blend direct observation and imagination to create my own unique interpretation. I often move, add, or change things to suit my needs. Like a fisherman’s tale, I tell the story the way I’d like it to be.
My Work Process
One of the most important aspects of my art practice is the mental preparation that I’m doing all the time. I’m always observing my surroundings and imagining how I might translate them into a language of pigment and paper, so that someone else might see what I see. Sometimes a scene serves up a ready painting idea and I just have to put it down on paper. More often ideas come from something less complete; a glimpse of atmospheric effects, the way sunlight lands on a surface, or an element in a landscape.
Subjects
Concerning my choice of subject matter, I have my favorites which tend towards the built environment, but I never really know exactly what I’m going to paint when I set out, and trust my instincts when I encounter a potential painting subject.
About Framing Watercolors Without Glass
I have always wanted viewers to be able to see my work the way I see it in the studio, before it’s displayed behind glass. So I began searching for a better way to present my watercolors. Around this time I learned that the chemists at Golden Artists Materials had been doing an in-depth study on materials and best practices for preserving watercolors. They developed the products and protocols for varnishing to protect and preserve watercolors. In 2019 I was invited with a small group of watercolorists to the Golden Artists Materials facility to learn the process and help test the materials. The method employs 6 layers of coatings (4 spray applications, 2 roll-on top coats) that offer the equivalent ultraviolet protection of museum glass. The end result is barely visible on the paper and makes it completely waterproof and UV protected. I’ve been delighted with the results.
More LINKS:
Resumé. Read HERE
Advice for Aspiring Artists. Read HERE
Feature Article on my work in Plein Air Magazine, Feb-Mar 2020 entitled “The City As Muse” by Bob Bahr.
Streamline Publishing’s Plein Air Podcast talking with Eric Rhoads. Watch or Listen HERE
Plein Air Easton Podcast Interview. Listen HERE
Interview on Charlie Hunter‘s Reasonably Fine Art Talk Series. Watch HERE
Time Lapse Video of me painting at Plein Air Easton. Watch HERE and
Another one HERE
My Video-on-Demand Instruction through Plein Air Easton on Sketching and using a Sketchbook. Watch now on Vimeo. Click HERE
Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters Featured Artist, May 2020. Read HERE