Ziggy Bruney is a 24 year old artist coming from the nature isle, the beautiful island of Dominica. Ziggy stands as an extraordinary and passionate artist whose work is recognized for its attention to detail and depth. The ability to transfer what he sees in his mind’s eye on paper is breathtaking.
OY: What inspired you to become an artist?
ZB: I was always good at using my hands and so it became natural for me to draw. Art is a field that allows me to add something new to the world with minimum prejudice. As far as the world is concerned an artist isn’t needed for human survival, so a great artist is more celebrated than a great engineer.
OY: What type of art do you identify with most?
ZB: I don’t get abstract art, at least the conventional modern pieces. I believe that if an artist wishes to convey a message, it must be clear to an extent and not ambiguous.
OY: What is the most important part of your work as an artist?
ZB: The most important part of any artist’s work is that he/she creates work that they would want to buy. The mere fact that I have such a unique gift of individuality, I strive to be distinct and memorable.
OY: What challenges do you face as a young artist?
ZB: Participating in regional and international show is costly because of the shipping. Plus the customs policies aren’t friendly to artists in regard to clearance of pieces and art materials which are unreasonably high. However I only speak for Dominica. Also maintaining a balanced emotional state is crucial to the art creation process. Art can’t be forced, no matter how logical the reason is if you aren’t feeling right, you can’t produce much or anything at all. This is something I struggled with for a while before I understood the nature of the creative mind. A lot of upcoming artist are unaware of this. I noticed as well that there is a constant conflict between the primitive and pre frontal mind. The primitive mind is concerned with the body’s survival there for may try to sway an artist away from what his/her soul wants to create to what’s popular or commercially acceptable.
OY: What are your future plans/aspirations?
ZB: Improve my technique. Perfect and define my individual style. I wish to further my education, maybe get my Architectural licence in order to create art on a grander scale.
OY: What advice would you give a young person as yourself who wants to become a professional artist?
ZB: I would say to know your reasoning, know where your motivation comes from. Define your mission. Knowing your priorities makes it easier to fight for them. There’s going to be a point where logically speaking, your career choice won’t make a lot of sense. The human brain doesn’t like uncertainty so if your motives are not congruent, you are going to quit.
OY: What do you want to see for art development in Dominica?
ZB: There should be more fairs/shows/exhibition with the intention of unifying the Caribbean countries. If we want grander creative expression as a region I believe we ought to bridge these gaps.
