Bruce Baldey VAS

Whenever I am asked about my background, I describe myself as “an architect who paints a bit”. That said, I cannot recall a period when I was not drawing or painting something. My father was a true polymath, with talents spanning music, cabinetmaking, hypnotherapy, and puppetry. He was also a gifted draughtsman, and his ability to draw beautifully left an impression on me. He crafted a clever drawing board that slid out from my bedroom cupboard, which became an invaluable tool for my completing school and university assignments. CADD (Computer Aided Design and Drafting) may have changed the architectural work environment, but drawing will always be an essential skill for the architect.

Maestro
 Pen on paper 2022

Our art tutors at university were Mervyn Moriarty, Neville Matthews, and the delightful potter Milton Moon. Mervyn Moriarty stood out for his dedication to the arts, famously learning to fly and visiting around 26 Queensland outback communities each year—places where access to artistic opportunities was scarce (flyingarts.org.au). After graduating in 1973 with an Honours degree in Architecture, I hit the ‘hippie trail’, travelling for 6 months overland across Asia to Europe and taking in the art and architectural landmarks along the journey.

Our Local Temple, Mumbai
 Pen and Wash 2019

The UK did not suit so I decided to travel overland once more, following my destiny towards Africa. A former business partner once said to me - not in a kind way - that I always land on my feet. With only $75 left, I managed to find employment there at a challenging time when President Kenyatta had just seen off another of his political opponents and the students were rioting in the streets. My employer’s son, Timothy Brooke (1942-2022) a contemporary British Kenyan painter, reignited my painting activity and my entry in the 2025 VAS Contemporary Exhibition “Savanna” is my tribute to his memory.

Savannah

Acrylic on Canvas 2025

After forty years practicing architecture in the UK, Kenya, Nigeria, Darwin and SE Asia my wife and I relocated to Melbourne where our daughters had established careers and started families. In 2014 I joined the VAS and, signing on for art classes with Ted Dansey, I rediscovered the joys of watercolour. 

At my first entry into a VAS Exhibition, I sold a watercolour of a Collingwood street corner. Beginners luck as it turned out. Nothing much else flew off Gallery walls until 2019 when Behind Eagle’s Nest sold at Warrandyte. However, sales have never been my motivation, at least not while I am still working. My objective is to paint expressively and freely for my own amusement and pleasure and to leave behind the strictures of architectural drafting and drawing. Julian Bruere’s classes were inspirational, and Ben Winspear reintroduced me to the world of oil painting and colour. 

Collingwood Corner

Watercolour 2014

In my recent submissions to the VAS Select Exhibitions, my focus has shifted slightly towards exploring colour and composition, rather than prioritising expressive techniques. The approach is evident in pieces such as Season’s Turn, which earned a Highly Commended award at the latest VAS Autumn Select Exhibition.  

The judge observed and commented on the presence of strong diagonals and the intricate patterns formed by intersecting planes within the artwork. This characteristic is something that an architect in commercial practice might consciously try to avoid or remove from their building designs. However, despite such efforts, these elements—strong diagonals and intersecting planes—remain an intrinsic part of the architect’s creative expression, inevitably surfacing in their art. 

Season's Turn

Oil on Canvas 2026

Vale Hill

Oil on Canvas 2025