About the Artist

Ragna Bruno-Torkanowsky was born in Madrid, Spain, the daughter of a German father and a Swedish mother. She was raised in a multi-lingual family and is fluent in Spanish, German, English and French. Throughout her early life, Bruno studied dance, music and art in Madrid, Switzerland and London. Her father was a poet and businessman, who came from a long line of artists and architects. Her mother was a sculptor who spoke six languages. Their friends were artists and musicians, and Bruno grew up immersed in the arts at home and at school. From the age of fourteen until she went to study abroad, Bruno made it a point to visit the Prado Museum every day, walking a half hour each way.

Bruno traveled extensively in Europe, Central and South America, and India. She owned an antique store in Madrid, and co-founded IBERMÚSICA, an international concert management company based in Madrid, with its own concert series, “Orchestras of the World”.

Bruno came to the U.S. in 1975 to marry Werner Torkanowsky, a world renowned conductor. The couple moved to Hancock, Maine, in 1977. Here Bruno was able to pursue her passion for art and committed to being a full-time artist. Bruno continues to live and maintain a studio in Hancock, and visits Spain frequently to see her family and friends.

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"Since very early in my life, Art was my sole interest. I studied Music and Dance and realized somewhat later that these studies enriched my most profound need - to dedicate myself totally to the Visual Arts; Drawing, Painting, Sculpture.

My working process usually starts with an idea of color or a poetic feeling. After that it becomes a situation of trial and error, which ends when I achieve order in that chaos."

Ragna Bruno

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