 "Photo: Paul Rosales/Poly Post")
 "Photo: Paul Rosales/Poly Post")
Shelley Bruce, a fourth-year fine arts and ethnic and women studies student, has been creating her mark with artwork on campus and across the world.
For two summers in a row, she has traveled to Ghana, Africa where she has painted two murals.
On her first trip to Ghana, Aieyku, a local Ghanaian jeweler creator and shop owner, saw Bruce’s work and asked her to paint on his wall. Bruce created a plant design that started at the base of the wall and encircled the frame of Aieyku’s door.
This summer, Political Science Professor Renford Reese helped curate an opportunity at the W.E.B. DuBois Center in Accra, Ghana. The center is the home and final resting place of the American born crusader for social justice, William Edward DuBois. There, she painted with acrylic a full wall dedicated to the historic icon.
“It was an honor to do it,” said Bruce. “A lot of my work is ‘Africana.’”
Born in Los Angeles, she started painting at Immaculate Heart High School.
When she graduated and started to attend Cal Poly, art was not her first choice.
“I was into fashion, but then I realized I was more into the designing part,” said Bruce. “I was taking a lot of women studies courses and I felt a lot of my work expressed through this area. It just fit because I am involved in a lot of [on campus] cultural clubs.”
Bruce is an active member of the African American Student Center and last year, she was an actress in the Violence Prevention and Women’s Resource’s production of the Vagina Monologues.
Every year, Bruce has painted and donated much of her art to the AASC.
Three years ago, she created three wooden, mural panels for Black History Month. Today in the center, the panels are covering the wall of the sitting room.
“[Bruce’s] work was beautifully done,” said La’Keisha Gilford-Beard, AASC coordinator. “You can see her passion, time and effort she put into it.”
Many students enjoy and admire her work.
“Shelley is the bomb,” said Ryan Scott, a fourth-year finance student. “I think she’s an amazing artist.”
Bruce had the Bronco Student Center Game Room exhibit some of her political portraits for one month last spring.
She has done many commissioned pieces from book cover illustrations to portraits and murals to live paintings.
Bruce is currently working on an acrylic painting displaying the personal battle and struggle one takes.
“[Art] will always be part of my life,” said Bruce.
Reach Andrea Waitrovich at: lifestyle@thepolypost.com
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