1960's Dune and seascapes of Mary Bruns

[Maunsel]

My aunt,artist Mary Bryan Bruns, moved to Seagrove Beach in the early 1960's and began a series of seascapes, landscapes, and dunescapes which capture the beauty of the area before rapacious and destructive development eradicated much of it. Most of the paintings are in the hands of family members and , therefore seldom seen. Many of the vistas depicted in Mary's artwork no longer exist, long since destroyed by the bulldozer, chainsaw, and builder.

I have digitally photographed a dozen of these pictures that were available to me, and would like to share them with anyone who may be interested. Each one is about 1.5MB in size and has a brief commentary based on my recollections. I will send each picture as a separate e-mail to anyone who contacts me at: maunsel.white@mchsi.com

[kurt]

My aunt,artist Mary Bryan Bruns, moved to Seagrove Beach in the early 1960's and began a series of seascapes, landscapes, and dunescapes which capture the beauty of the area before rapacious and destructive development eradicated much of it. Most of the paintings are in the hands of family members and , therefore seldom seen. Many of the vistas depicted in Mary's artwork no longer exist, long since destroyed by the bulldozer, chainsaw, and builder.

I have digitally photographed a dozen of these pictures that were available to me, and would like to share them with anyone who may be interested. Each one is about 1.5MB in size and has a brief commentary based on my recollections. I will send each picture as a separate e-mail to anyone who contacts me at: maunsel.white@mchsi.com

Thanks! Why don't you post in the gallery?

[John R]

wow, that's awesome. how about uploading them to a hosting site in the largest format possible? then you'd only need to give out a link to the album for everyone to see them instead of having to send them individually. looking forward to checking them out. pm me if you need any help.

jr

or, what he said ^^^

[Johnrudy]

I can not wait to see your aunt's work!!

[kathydwells]

Wow, how awesome. I too look forward to seeing them. Oh, and .

[Maunsel]

Yes,

I'd like some help putting them AND the commentary on SOWAL. How can I send them to you?

Maunsel

[Johnrudy]

I'm viewing some now as they come into my email. They are truly beautiful.
Thank you for sharing the beauty and commentary of a by-gone era. I feel as though I've been transported back to the 60's. This was how the beach was. Nothing but sand, water, scrub oak and palmetto.

[bsmart]

Beautiful paintings. Do you think they will ever be sold by your family or at an auction or something? I love the Eastern Lake Outflow photo--massive sand dunes against the magnificent backdrop of the Gulf of Mexico

[jpreus]

Can't wait to see this artwork........

[Paula]

Me, too. Can't wait to see the photos. Perhaps your family could have nice prints made of the paintings and people could buy those? I don't know how this is done, but it's an option.

[Johnrudy]

Me, too. Can't wait to see the photos. Perhaps your family could have nice prints made of the paintings and people could buy those? I don't know how this is done, but it's an option.

I was thinking the same thing.

[Teresa]

Oh, I would love to see these. Hope you can upload them to the gallery, or to a site where they can be viewed.

Maunsel!

[John R]

Oh man. These images are great, and Mansuel's descriptions are just as illuminating. This is stuff that needs to be seen by many, so we don't forget.

[Uncle Timmy]

Hmmm, I've seen some of these paintings hanging in a private residence in Seagrove; Maunsel, I think I may know you, or at least I know some of your relatives....

Anyways, the painting are beautiful- I'm glad you are sharing them with everybody.

[Mango]

Have these been put in the SoWal gallery? I do not see a link?

[kurt]

If you will send to me I will post them.

[Beachbummett]

You did it!! Glad to have you with us Maunsel! I'm so glad I finally talked you into it!

Fellow Sowal friends, this gentleman is a great historian of our area and tell's the best stories!

Post some more Now... when are you going to have us all over to your house to view all these great painting and pictures?

[Mango]

If you will send to me I will post them.

I don't have any. I figured she may have been overwhelmed with requests and didn't ask. Does anyone have these to e-mail to Kurt?

[Beachbummett]

I don't have any. I figured she may have been overwhelmed with requests and didn't ask. Does anyone have these to e-mail to Kurt?

She is a HE Kurt how do we get them to you to post?

[kurt]

She is a HE Kurt how do we get them to you to post?

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[jimmyp5]

Maunsel has graciously agreed to hang a show of many of these paintings by Mary Bruns this coming weekend, at Cerulean's at WaterColor, in conjunction with the MountainFilm weekend ..... approximately Friday through Sunday .... stay tuned for more details!

[Beachbummett]

Maunsel has graciously agreed to hang a show of many of these paintings by Mary Bruns this coming weekend, at Cerulean's at WaterColor, in conjunction with the MountainFilm weekend ..... approximately Friday through Sunday .... stay tuned for more details!

This are all beautiful pictures...please everyone go by and see them.

[Bobby J]

Can not wait to see them!

[Miss Kitty]

This will be a real treat to see the paintings in person.

[jimmyp5]

We're hanging the show this evening ... it'll be open to the public at Cerulean's all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Two of Mary's family members will talk about Mary's work and the old days, and answer questions, from 4-6 on Saturday afternoon.

Please come by -- it'll be a treat to see this historical work.

[Johnrudy]

We're hanging the show this evening ... it'll be open to the public at Cerulean's all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Two of Mary's family members will talk about Mary's work and the old days, and answer questions, from 4-6 on Saturday afternoon.

Please come by -- it'll be a treat to see this historical work.

Good Luck!!

[Miss Kitty]

See ya'!!!

[Jdarg]

See ya'!!!

Let's go to this!!!

[pk305]

Would love to be there now to see these!!
Will have to settle for the photos for now....have these been posted yet??

[jimmyp5]

I'm sure the pictures will all get posted -- we've scrambled to get the show put together on very short notice. For those of you that're here, please help us get the word out that it's here & will only be up for three days.

[Miss Kitty]

I'm sure the pictures will all get posted -- we've scrambled to get the show put together on very short notice. For those of you that're here, please help us get the word out that it's here & will only be up for three days.

will do

[sunshine]

Thank you Maunsel for placing these paintings at Cerulean's this weekend. I went by earlier today and they are simply beautiful. The comments beside each painting truly enhanced my enjoyment of the artwork.

If you haven't been by yet to see this collection, please do. The paintings are up through tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon.

[TreeFrog]

Thank you Maunsel for placing these paintings at Cerulean's this weekend. I went by earlier today and they are simply beautiful. The comments beside each painting truly enhanced my enjoyment of the artwork.

If you haven't been by yet to see this collection, please do. The paintings are up through tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon.

Ditto to Sunshine's comments.

We went by Cerualean's this afternoon. Don't miss this exhibition.

Mr. White's aunt was a talented artist and captured the unspoiled beauty of the area around Seagrove. Her legacy will, I'm sure, continued to be enjoyed by those who are fortunate enough to see these paintings for many years.

[GoodWitch58]

The paintings are beautiful...thank you for sharing. Will someone do prints?

It would be wonderful to have copies of some of these to purchase.

Brought back some memories of SoWal--the way it used to be.

[Bob]

I would love to see a Blue Mountain Beach scene before seawalls.

[Mango]

I had the pleasure of meeting Maunsel and his wife this weekend, and they graciously invited me and DKA back to their home to view the paintings.
I have received all of them via e-mail and I offered to post them along with commentaries. There's even an old video which is quite cool.

There are a lot of them, so I will ask Kurt to help me. and we'll start a separate thread and put the link to it here also.

[Mango]

I had the pleasure of meeting Maunsel and his wife this weekend, and they graciously invited me and DKA back to their home to view the paintings.
I have received all of them via e-mail and I offered to post them along with commentaries. There's even an old video which is quite cool.

I managed to find time to put a couple of the paintings photos in the General Photo Gallery along with commentaries from Maunsel, and will add to it as I can.

Mary Wyman Bryan Bruns 1905-2000

"Born in 1905 in New Jersey, she moved to New Orleans as an infant., Mrs. Bruns studied in Ogunquit, Maine with Thomas Woodbury, the well known marine artist. Mrs. Bruns wrote and illsutrated feature articles for New Orleans Times Picayune before her marriage and worked as a copywriter and editor for the advertising department of the New Orleans Item from 1946 until 1955. She moved to Seagrove Beach, Florida in 1961 where she resumed her career as a plaine artist using oils and watercolors. She was transfixed by the sublety, variety, and ever changing nature of the natural environment here, and never tired of recording on canvas the beauty and uniqueness of the area. While she sold some of ther paintings, most of her work remains in the hands of her extended family and descendents and therefore seldom seen."

Taken from an art exhibition at Ceruleans