Ramon Bruin is an experienced artist from the Netherlands whose paintings have been featured in solo and group shows internationally. Working in the styles of abstract-expressionism and pop art, Bruin creates vibrant paintings in mixed media that emphasize contrasts between colors and forms. He adds a light sense of humor to his artworks, hoping to bring joy to viewers. We sat down with Ramon Bruin to talk about his current projects, inspiration, and the start of his artistic career.
When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
I may have known it all my life, but for most of my life I didn’t realize that I could actually be an artist. I grew up in a non-artistic working-class family and was never inspired to become an artist. Although I could draw really well, the chance of making a living from art was very slim. Then, about ten years ago, I had a worldwide breakthrough with a 3D drawing I created. At that time, this style of art did not exist on paper and I invented (without realizing it) a completely new style of art. That was the point when I realized that I had to be an artist and I decided to become one.
Ramon Bruin
Can you talk about your artistic influences and other artists you are most inspired by?
I love the work of Picasso, Paul Klee, Karel Appel and many, many more. But what I admire most is the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat. His work is so raw. His paintings are like honest pages of a diary. He never cared about composition or what others thought about it, he just did what felt right to him. I could never come close to his work because I never experienced the pain he experienced in his childhood and later through police discrimination. That’s why my painting style is rather cheerful, sometimes slightly sarcastic or cynical.
Do you prefer to work alone or collaborate with others?
In general I prefer to work alone but wouldn’t mind collaborating with another artist, eventhough I’ve never done it. I have so many ideas of my own that I hardly have the time to find another artist to collaborate with.
Can you tell us about a project you are currently working on?
I was afraid of this question… I’ll try to be brief:
Right now I am in the process of graffiti painting the walls of a completely new restaurant, I shipped four paintings to the US, Austria, Belgium, and Germany, launched a new line of shoes with my design, painted new art because I’m running low on supplies, plus I’m working on two commissioned paintings and a design for a local new beer brand. Then I did a bottle design for CR7, a fragrance by Christiano Ronaldo. And it’s only Tuesday.
What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t an artist?
I’m not sure, to be honest. I’ve tried different jobs in the past, like being an electrician, a construction worker, I worked in a flower nursery, and I travelled for a year. So if I were to do something else, it might be traveling again for a longer period of time because that was the only thing I liked doing.
Ramon Bruin
Have you found any other artists on SINGULART whose work you admire?
No, not yet and I feel guilty about it. I haven’t found the time to browse art on SINGULART yet, but I promise I will very soon!
What advice could you give to young artists who are just starting out?
Make lots of mistakes! Mistakes are the best way to learn. We are taught that mistakes are bad, but I have learned that mistakes are not wrong at all. Mistakes are great and once you realize that, the fear of “doing things wrong” will disappear. You will become stronger and more confident about yourself and your art. If mistakes can’t break you anymore what can? So make many, many mistakes and don’t be afraid of them!
