Bonus Ball Bruce

This is you Bruce in blue.

Some background information about Bruce and the artwork 'Cut Loose'.

Bruce was 6 months old when arrived at St Francis Animal Welfare in Christmas 2015/16.  He's a black and white spaniel/terrier cross (6/6/2015), very lively and too much for his previous owner who wasn't well.

I took him for a walk during an open day in January 2016, returned him and waiting at the gate was young family who said 'mummy, mummy can we have that one'.  On impulse I said 'sorry he's sold'. (I felt really awful to disappoint them), Vicky was rather surprised because in five years of volunteer walking I had never expressed an interest to buy.

I bought him with bonus ball winnings and told my art department colleagues at Peter Symonds College, Winchester I had invested their money in Bruce.

When I retired from teaching, I gave my colleagues 'Cut Loose' linocut prints as farewell gifts, inspired by the theme of moving on to pastures new with mixed emotions, both happy and sad. Every year I used take Symonds A level Art students to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and I have been submitting artwork without success until this year, when they accepted my 'Cut Loose' linocut print.

‘Cut Loose’ linocut print, image size 21 x 15cm, edition of 100, Mark Howard Jones 2023