About Don Bruton
Third place winner of Fine Art Fantasy category
Born in Houston, Texas. Grew up in a suburb city, Bellaire. Played football, raced motocross & BMX. Have always been into art, & encouraged by my mom who would show me drawing tips. Had chances to go to a couple of art schools, but was more interested in racing. Have airbrushed off & on since ‘92, when a tattoo artist saw s pattern, I did for someone, & told me I needed to learn how to airbrush. Because of life, it’s been off & on, but I have constantly drawn through the years. I’ve painted on numerous different mediums, & am told I’m very versatile. Louis Royo had always been an inspiration to me, but the art of Peter Paul Ruebens fascinates me most. A friend in New York, Ms. Honey Rivera, influenced me to enter this contest. I’ve never seen what others see in my work. In the near future, I’ll get back to doing more canvas/Fine Art.
Winner’s Interview
1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, what is your background? When did you start airbrushing and what was the learning process like for you?
I’m an old BMX racer, into motocross, race cars, BMX, & ART. Have always loved art. I started airbrushing in 1992, doing it off & on through the years. Learning was fun. Sometimes tedious & frustrating, but I enjoy the process. Still, after all these years, I’m still learning…. It's Awesome.
2. Can you tell us a bit more about your winning entry piece? How / why did you choose it? How long did it take, and what inspired you?
My winning piece. Her Transformation. Hopefully I’ll not offend anyone. The idea came from listening to disgruntled divorced men around me. The same opinions abound: They (ex wives) started out as Angels, then turned into… well, you see the painting.
"The idea came from listening to disgruntled divorced men around me."
3. What does airbrushing mean to you and what drives your passion for airbrushing and creating art? Also, how do you find the ideas for your other works?
Airbrushing & Art are my passion. The creating, the process, ideas coming to life, becoming their own. Ideas just come to me. When seeing a photo, I see the pose, not the person. My mind takes over, thinking what can I do with this pose?
4. What are your goals / targets for airbrushing? What do you want to achieve?
I’d like to turn my art into full time employment. Had a chance, but made some wrong decisions, working for others, when I should’ve been painting paintings & building stock to sell & get my name out there. It will come, this I know.
5. Do you specialize or prefer to work on a specific surface?
I enjoy working on all surfaces, but canvas & smooth illustration board are my favorites. They seem to be most forgiving, compared to the steel gas tanks, guitars, skateboards, giant walls, cloth, shirts,etc., that I’ve worked on.
6. How would you describe your style(s) in airbrushing?
N/A
7. Any advice to beginners looking to start airbrushing?
Advice for beginners: Know that as artists, & people, we are all different, with different ways to do things. Listen, watch others, but in the end, do what works for you. I’ve taught a few people, & have actually learned things from them! Also, WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES! Don’t let it frustrate you. It's a valuable part of the learning process. It's how we fix those mistakes that makes us successful.
"Listen, watch others, but in the end, do what works for you."
8. Do you have a website or blog? How can people reach you on social media?
