Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Bruni is the fifth of six children. She grew up in a home beautifully designed and built by her father and on large quantities of handmade Italian food—beautifully “designed and built” by her mother. Creativity, therefore, took root early: among her first explorations were wands made from snow and branches and potions made in her mother’s mason jars. When the time came to pursue post-secondary studies, she flew from the nest to Toronto to study art.

 

In 1999, Bruni earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours degree from York University and has been developing her visual art practice ever since. Her career includes numerous solo and group exhibitions, gallery representation, private commissions, art awards, and publications. Her original works are held in private collections across Canada, the United States, and abroad.

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Worn, battered drumheads—reflecting her years as a drummer in an indie rock band—and Lexan glass are Bruni’s signature canvases. These unconventional surfaces provide a foundation for her visual, autobiographical narratives. Deeply informed by her own life and inspired by the philosophy and practice of Zen Buddhism and yoga, her body of work explores daily observations, quandaries, insights, and revelations.

In her glass pieces, Bruni investigates the interplay of depth, space, and transparency. She layers meaningful materials, often incorporating found objects from her surroundings. Collaged or traced into her imagery, these elements merge with paint and drawing to create intimate, dynamic narratives. Conversely, her works on used drumheads are elegantly minimal—she adds little to the existing marks left by drumsticks, transforming these traces of sound into latent images that seem to emerge from where the beat left off.

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After sixteen years based in Toronto, Bruni felt an inner call for open space and a slower pace. Returning to her northern roots, she spent a year immersed in the landscape of Northern Ontario—a period that profoundly influenced her creative direction. Her journey has since led her to the charming city of Stratford, Ontario, where she now lives with her family.

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In addition to her art practice, Bruni shares her passion by teaching both art and yoga within her community.