Les Bruning

LES BRUNING

Omaha, NE

Les Bruning has an extensive career as both artist and mentor, well known for his public art in the Metro and beyond. Les was born in Syracuse, KS and raised in Nebraska. After studying at the Graz Center in Austria, he graduated with a BA in Art from Nebraska Wesleyan University, and in 1970 he earned a MFA in Sculpture from Syracuse University.

 

Les was a Professor and Chairman of the Art Department at Bellevue University from 1973-2011 and is a founding member of the Hot Shops Art Center in Omaha. He received his first sculpture commission in 1969 at the County-City Building in Lincoln and has since completed over 40 commissions. Les has produced the Governor’s Arts Award for the State of Nebraska and has lectured at the Sculpture Symposium in Lincoln and the 1990 International Sculpture Conference, Washington, DC. He received a Mentoring Grant from the Nebraska Art Council and is included in many public and private collections including the Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney, NE. Les has participated in 40 solo shows and over 120 group and juried exhibitions.

 

His new works, which are described as sculptural “drawings in space,”  are constructed with repeating aluminum elements. As such, they reflect in 3D a similar refined balance of form and hardedge abstraction.