Artist and illustrator Bruce L. Bunch will be one of the featured artists this Saturday, May 15, at the Saluda Arts Festival.

The excitement of the water breaking at the first leap, the battle of wits, the pride of the landing, and the satisfaction of the release to fish another day, are all captured in a sunburst of watercolors. An avid outdoorsman and conservationist, wildlife artist Bruce Bunch has found a way of displaying that prized catch in todays Catch and Release world. Bunch is a familiar site in the Southern Appalachian mountains. Camped out beside a stream with his brush in one hand and a fly rod in the other the scene is reminiscent of Winslow Homer. Asked why, It allows me to paint through the eyes of the enthused.

Bunch has combined his passions for the arts and the outdoors by creating Art on the Fly. This series of birds, dogs and fly fishing art have been collected by sportsmen world wide. Bunchs work has won critical regional, national and international acclaim, including Best of Show at the Georgia Wildlife Arts Festival and the Queens Award (UK) for excellence. Most recently, he has been selected, once again, by the South Carolina State Park Service as an Artist-in-Residence. The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival chose Bruce as its 2007 Festival Artist. This is the first time a non-Virginian artist has been so honored. In 2009 the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Expo also picked Bruce to be their featured artist.

Life has not always been in the outdoors. The majority of Bunchs career has been applying his award winning creative talents to the corporate world. For over 30 years, Bruce advertised and marketed everything from Piper airplanes to the much-acclaimed Michelin baby campaign.

When Bruce, a licensed pilot, is not painting and camping in the outdoors, he can be found teaching a workshop or lecturing to a group of outdoor enthusiast. While working on a cum laude PFA from Ohio Universitys School of Fine Art, Bruce Bunch was an instructor of graphic arts, illustration, and typography. In addition, he has conducted workshops and lectured at many academically acclaimed universities and colleges.