BAM Art

Vibrant Art for Colorful Lives

Bret Anthony McCormick

About Bret McCormick

Bret is an artist, author and filmmaker residing in Bedford, Texas.

From 1984 through 1996 he produced or directed some 21 feature films for the international home video market. Since 2014 McCormick has published 12 books. He paints with prolific passion and has sold his work in a variety of shops, galleries and pop-up events. Bret welcomes communication from fans, art enthusiasts and potential venues.

Contact him at bretanthonymccormick@gmail.com

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Bret McCormick paints in a bold, self-taught style. Some label his work ‘GRUNGE.’

According to a 2008 study by the National Endowment for the Arts only 1 in 5 American adults have purchased at least one original work of art. Latest statistics show that Millennials are the most likely demographic to purchase original art. If you would like to join the 20% of Americans who value and purchase original works of art, then buy something from a local artist! Lots of pop-up events in parking lots, School-sponsored events or art festivals sponsored by municipalities occur regularly in most cities. Do a little research. If you see something on my site that appeals to you, send me a brief email: bretanthonymccormick@gmail.com. I love making (and selling) art! I do commissions and would love to create something especially for you.

Bret McCormick accepts pop-art commissions, often painting fanciful renditions of celebrities.

McCormick draws inspiration from 60s Pop Culture, Ancient Art, Philosophy, Mythology and Theology

Experimenting with new styles, techniques and subject matter gives Bret’s art a fresh ‘feel.’

Ghost on the Beach – Day of the Dead Series

Reach for the Sun 2021 acrylic on canvas

Stark, abstract trees seem to connect with many people on a deep subconscious level.

Many of Bret’s abstract pieces are highly textured, like this one using spackling and acrylic paint on a large piece of wafer board.

Completely spontaneous abstracts, like the one above, provide energy and a sense of playfulness.

Santa Fe 2019. Using odd sizes and shapes of wood panels adds a dimension to abstract pieces.

Highly textured abstract, spackling and acrylic on wafer board.

Abstract, spackling and acrylic on wafer board.

Psychedelic Man 2019. Acrylic and ink on canvas.

Eye Series 2019. The image of the eye, like the image of the tree, connects on a deep level with the human psyche.

Bob Dylan 2019. Bret often draws from 1960s pop culture for inspiration.

Comic Book Fantasy. Acrylic on irregular piece of wood.

My Mom collects quirky portraits. Thought I’d surprise her with one of her!

Portrait of Robert Johnson in poster art style. 2022

Free Minds Create Free Worlds (Free Yours!) 2022

SCHLOCKMEISTER! (self portrait of artist on the half-skull) 2022

On a Wednesday I painted BICYCLE DAY. On the following Saturday, I set up at a local artist event. In the first 30 minutes a young man named Jay walked up and bought the painting. This sort of coincidence gives me confidence in my choice of subjects and spontaneous creations.

Random Weirdness 2022
A friend asked me to create a bloody skeleton for a video project he was working on. They provided an inexpensive full body Halloween skeleton of the type found in many retailers and readily available on a number of on-line outlets. I painted the entire skeleton with inexpensive red acrylic paint from Walmart — the kind that sells for about 50 cents a bottle. Then I created remnants of flesh using paint-soaked paper towels, cotton and dried bread crumbs for texture. I made a single eye out of plastic from a water bottle — painting pupil, iris and white on the backside, so the eye would have a naturally glossy appearance. I washed the whole skeleton with diluted burnt umber paint. As soon as it dries fully I will spray it with high-gloss acrylic for the ‘wet’ look.

“Tourists” BAM 2024. This painting is part of the PHARAOH’S DREAM exhibition at Proletariat Gallery in Galveston, Texas, running from 7/20/2024 to 8/20/2024.

“MEGA – Make Egypt Great Again” BAM 2024. I created this painting as a part of the Pharaoh’s Dream exhibition but after the attempt on Trump’s life I chose not to display this piece for fear of people misunderstanding my intentions. To me this painting is just a funny concept, not intended to make a pro or con statement about Donald Trump or his bid for the Presidency. The atmosphere around Presidential campaigns is so heated, so combative, that many people have lost their sense of humor. Maybe at some point in a more unified future this piece can be appreciated for the light hearted idea it is.

See my most current blog post for images of all the paintings I exhibited under the banner of Pharaoh’s Dream.