Lance Tucker, a self-taught Bermudian artist known for his innovative use of sand and layered textures, will showcase his latest mixed-media works at the Bermuda Society of Arts later this month. The exhibition, titled "Capture In Vision," opens on August 29 and runs through September 17, marking Tucker's return to the art scene after a three-year hiatus due to health issues.
Tucker initially hadn't planned to exhibit any artwork this year, having put his artistic pursuits on hold while dealing with ongoing health problems. However, a pivotal conversation with gallery director Nzingha Ming reignited his creative passion and inspired him to return to his craft. "I didn't think that I would actually get to do another show, or if I wanted to do another show, due to health issues and different things," Tucker explained. "But being around Nzingha, being inspired by her – she's one of the reasons why I'm a member of Bermuda Society of Arts, because of her personality and how she carries herself."
Motivated by Ming's encouragement and inspired by other artists' social media posts, Tucker began working on his new collection in January. This latest body of work represents a significant evolution in his artistic approach, focusing more heavily on mixed-media elements rather than traditional painting techniques. "This time around, it wasn't [so much] about the painting, it was more about the mixed-media stuff that I'm using – the sand, the glass," Tucker said. "It was more a sense of, how can I make it look like material? Look like cloth? Just a feel of what others might see."
The upcoming exhibition will feature fourteen pieces that explore themes of nature, women, and Bermudian landscapes. The works vary considerably in size, with Tucker's largest piece being a 36-inch by 48-inch depiction of Jobson's Cove. Despite initially planning to stop at ten pieces due to fatigue, Tucker found himself continuously inspired. "I was getting tired after the tenth one and was going to leave it at that. But it seemed like every time I laid my head down, I got a different inspiration to do something different," he recalled.
For Tucker, the creative process transcends the final visual outcome, focusing instead on the transformative journey of textures and materials on canvas. "It is like a mirror to my soul, a story in my worth – that I am worthy to be a mixed-media artist – because it is more about the different textures that transform on the canvas that blows my mind when the creation has formed," his artist statement reads. He describes his work as being "all based on beauty," emphasizing the emotional response he hopes to evoke in viewers.
Tucker's artistic journey began with encouragement from his mother, who created drawing games that sparked his early interest in art. At Robert Crawford, the former vocational school for boys, he took art classes, but it wasn't until the pandemic that he seriously began exploring mixed-media techniques. His discovery came through social media, where he initially dismissed what he saw as amateur attempts at mixed-media art using glue guns and random materials.
His perspective changed dramatically when he encountered a woman painting a mural of the Great Wall of China using watercolor and cement. "I just kept following her. And then by following her, I got to see the people that were following her that were also artists," Tucker explained. One artist's three-dimensional depictions of women on canvas particularly intrigued him, reminding him of his childhood experiments with newspaper cutouts and sketching.
This discovery occurred just before the pandemic hit Bermuda, and by the time lockdown began, Tucker was already experimenting with incorporating natural elements into his artwork. His timing proved fortuitous, as the isolation period allowed him to fully explore and develop his mixed-media techniques. Today, he maintains a social media presence where he shares samples of his work with a small but dedicated following, primarily consisting of fellow Bermudians.
Tucker's previous exhibition at the Bermuda Society of Arts in 2021 came about somewhat by accident – he had accumulated numerous paintings and wasn't sure what to do with them. After discussions with Ming about the organization's mission and purpose, he decided to take the leap. The show was well-received, and a follow-up exhibition two years later proved therapeutic during his health struggles. "I was battling with health issues, going backwards and forwards to Brigham and Women's Hospital. But the art was keeping me together," he reflected.
Despite the challenges of selling mixed-media art in Bermuda, Tucker remains committed to his craft, driven by positive feedback from collectors and viewers. "I've had people send messages to me through other ways to tell me that they love my art. They can't understand why mixed media isn't so big here – because I've talked about how it's sometimes hard to sell the kind of art that I do. But those that have bought art from me from my shows make me want to continue," he said.
Looking ahead, Tucker believes his artistic journey is guided by a higher purpose, though he acknowledges the need to pace himself more carefully due to his health considerations. "I think God is leading my spirit to not give up on this – but just not to do as much as before. That's why this [year's exhibit] is smaller than the last one," he noted. The upcoming "Capture In Vision" exhibition represents not just a return to form for Tucker, but a testament to the healing power of art and the importance of community support in nurturing creative expression.
