Muncy Historical Society and Museum of History

A book showcasing artist Bruce Storm’s paintings was formally launched at the inaugural Regional Invitational Art Exhibition on November 9 and 10, 2007 to benefit the Muncy Historical Society. Plus, for the first time, limited-edition prints of Storm’s original paintings “Tale of a Dragon's Tail,” “Suppertime,” “Dream Quilt” and “Checkerville” were made available for sale.

“Bruce Storm”
Softback book, full-color prints $40

Dream Quilt
Full color, limited-edition print $150

Tale of a Dragon Tail
Full color, limited-edition print $150

Suppertime (the book’s cover) also is available as full color, limited-edition prints at $150.

Checkerville
Full color, limited-edition print $200

The book, simply titled “Bruce Storm”, is softback and filled with full-color prints. It was a gift to Storm from his wife, Nella Godbey Storm, and is a historical legacy of his paintings. It showcases many of his paintings created during a 38-year career, focusing primarily on the works of the last 20 years.

“Each painting reads on three levels: the story, the humor and philosophy,” Storm said. “Many themes deal with the unseen or unappreciated or unnoticed world around us such as romance, the environment, this and other locales that are special to my heart, my family and friends, and town folk, all are redefined as animals in my work.”

His paintings often are fantastical and otherworldly. “Stories from childhood that still amaze me are also pictures: Jack Frost, the painter of leaves; the Sand Man lulling us off to the world of dreams. I enjoy almost any animal, but our cat and dogs also appear as themselves and as other critters in my art,” he said. “Most of my work deals with the world of possibilities not yet in play. A better world waiting to be shared.”

A native of Palmerton, Storm took private art lessons as a child, and then received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in art education from Penn State University. “At an early age, I had keen interest in art, but I could not afford private art lessons,” he said. “But two wealthy girls told their fathers that they would ‘take art lessons if Bruce would,’ so their fathers paid for my lessons, too.” Early in his career, he worked as a cartoonist for Warner Studios and created two- and three-dimensional art work. Storm taught art in Orange County, California, and in Bucks, Montgomery and Lycoming counties, here in Pennsylvania. Storm retired from the East Lycoming School District where he taught high school level art. Bruce received Penn State University’s Phi Delta Kappan Award for outstanding work in the field of education. Bruce was the first classroom teacher to receive this prestigious award.

His mother's quilts were an early aesthetic influence. Later influences include Maxfield Parrish, N.C. Wyeth, Vernon Grant, Rousseau, and the Art Nouveau movement. Storm’s highly imaginative watercolors have been shown in a number of east coast galleries and locally in Williamsport and Lewisburg and his paintings can be found in private collections across the United States and Europe.

When asked what painting he considers his best work, he replies, “The one I’m working on at the moment. ‘Checkerville,’ my salute to Northcentral Pa. and this region, is a favorite. ‘Tale of a Dragon’s Tail’ is a high-level painting, and ‘Through Roesen’s Colored Glasses’ hits the mark, but the ‘Creature Comfort’ paintings are very special to me. ‘Suppertime’ holds a special place in my heart as it was based on feeding my dogs and cats. There is a big emotional range in the work and, from day to day, I'd pick different favorites. The paintings are my children; I like each one, for different reasons, at different moments.”

His technique is to draw on location, and then paint in his studio, thus a French castle that he drew returns to Muncy Hills for completion. “I collect sketches from location and think a long time about just exactly what I want to say and then paint,” he said. “My work takes many layers of color and vast numbers of hours.”

It’s important for Storm to know that people “really get the painting, they understand and care for what I'm saying, and they share my aesthetic.”

Besides art, his interests and hobbies include his “garden and pets, film, nature, his family, fine dining, great wines, and the art of others that my wife and I collect, and antiques and history,” he said.

Art is a shared passion in the Storm marriage, but it was Nella’s idea to produce a book that would enable art patrons to enjoy and understand Bruce’s paintings. She contracted with photographer Frederick Eaton, an R.I.T. graduate working with the Wistar Institute, to reproduce her husband’s artwork and design the book, printed by Lulu.com. “While Bruce is working on the painting we discuss what he is after in the piece,” Nella said. “I write the sagas, which are sort of keys to open up the paintings. I compose these after each piece is completed. The works are not illustrations; rather the sagas complement the work.”

She said she was motivated to preserve her husband’s artwork. “Bruce's work seemed to be at a stage where it could and should be saved in a historical form and shared by many,” she said. “So often, people would ask if prints and a book of Bruce's work were available. I met Frederick Eaton and he said it was possible. That was the first step. In fact, it was Bruce's brother who got the book going in its original stages. I finally bit the bullet and went forward with the project. Bruce is very private about his art so this was, at times, an almost painful experience. But, now that the book is completed, he is a bit more relaxed about the public seeing his work.”

Storm’s book and limited-edition prints of four of his original paintings are available from the artist, from the Muncy Historical Society gift shop and from the society’s website. Click here to follow the link to the Gift Shop