Commission a painting

Past Commissions

Original works of art

Bruce Padgett was born in Laurel, Mississippi. From the very beginning, his love of art, music, and dance was apparent, and at the age of 14, he was awarded a scholarship to study ballet at North Carolina School of the Arts. At the end of his third year, he was invited to continue his studies at the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York City where he was awarded the Ford Foundation Scholarship. In 1976, he was invited to become a member of the New York City Ballet, where he remained until 1995. During his career, he danced numerous roles in ballets created by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, Robert Lafosse and Dick Tanner. In the summer of 1992 and 1993, he toured throughout Italy, England, and Switzerland with “Stars of American Ballet.”

After his retirement from dance, he immersed himself in the art of painting and drawing. Padgett's portraits of animals are extremely captivating. Whether its oil on canvas or ink on paper, the attention to detail and extraordinary use of light and shadow are always evident. In what can only be defined as a signature style, his portraits cover as much space on the surface as possible, which creates a bold and dramatic image. Bruce has always held true to the belief that when it comes to such a personal subject as one’s pet, it should be bigger than life!

This self-taught artist has worked on many commissions and has sold many of his most personal work. His paintings now hang in homes across the United States.

"A couple of years ago I had Bruce Padgett do a drawing of my dog “Chaser”. The results were extraordinary!!! What I got was not just a drawing but a piece I will treasure all my life." John Barrett