As he prepares to open his Tenth One Man Exhibition at the Windjammer Gallery tomorrow evening, Bruce Stuart is confident that he has a few surprises up his sleeve.

The Bermudian artist, back in the '80s, caused something of a sensation by selling out one of his early shows within half an hour, and the second one in just 12 minutes. Those giddy days -- especially since the recession -- he says, are now a thing of the past, although he invariably sells at least three-quarters of each exhibition.

Susan Curtis, herself an artist and proprietor of The Windjammer, is justifiably proud that she supported him from the very beginning. "Bruce is basically self-taught and he has done a quite remarkable job. Despite the immense success he found with his exacting architectural acrylics, he has never been frightened to try new things -- and that is what art is all about! His latest venture, into sterling silver jewellery, is really impressive and I think it's wonderful that someone with Bruce's artistic ability is now moving into work that is three-dimensional. He has grown enormously over the past 15 years and we've all been able to see this great expansion into some very impressionistic oils. Now, he is also working in acrylics on paper which gives his paintings a fresh new freedom. We are anticipating a wonderful show.'' Mr. Stuart will be exhibiting about 40 pictures, some of them reflecting his enduring love of Bermudian architecture, but some will be figure drawings and nude studies. Admitting he is excited about his recent progress, he says that much of this has been inspired by three trips to Mexico since last summer, where he designed sterling silver jewellery, ventured into the world of bronze ceramics (he has two on show), and took art classes that concentrated on figure drawing. "I've been branching out in all directions and with the drawing lessons, I've been concentrating on `the gesture' -- and producing a whole series of very fast sketches. This kind of experimenting gives me a real `rush', which is a wonderful sensation, as I had gone through a stage of feeling `dry'. Now, I feel I am much freer and looser.'' Recently, reflects the artist, he has been going back to paint various aspects of Spanish Point. "I grew up there, you know, and it was all very `Tom Sawyer' -- playing in the caves and all this dare-devil diving into six feet of water from 30 or 50-foot cliffs. We would explore all the way along the coast from Spanish Point to Admiralty House, and we would wait for this cruise boat to come in from Hamilton. We would dive overboard when it arrived and then three of us would be allowed to ride on the front of the boat and go to Clarence Cove and the coves off Deep Bay where we would dive over again, climb up the cliffs and dive down for coins -- and generally entertain the tourists.

We would do this all summer, so when I go back there to paint it's quite an emotional thing. Even if you don't paint exact representations, those sorts of experiences do inform your overall approach, I believe.'' His unusual jewellery (earrings, bangles, brooches) also features a heavy silver bangle which has his trademark shuttered windows, placed at a slant, and cufflinks shaped like a gabled cottage. One of his brooches, which can be used as a pendant, is a detail of his painting of Samaritan Lodge in St.

George's, while another features a fitted dingy. Each piece is signed by the artist and larger pieces will sell alongside the complementary painting.

"I think this is another step for me as an artist,'' he says. "Working in silver keeps it in the realm of fine art, but it is a whole new avenue for me.

I like the idea of designing and crafting something that is truly Bermudian.

Each presentation box is inscribed, `The Art of Bruce Stuart' which is the title of the book on my work, and each piece has an explanatory biography included.'' Mr. Stuart, who first went to Mexico with sculptor Chesley Trott, says that was an "incredible'' experience and led to his experimenting in ceramic sculpture. "I was also able to talk to a lot of the students and help a lot of people with painting. We had the most wonderful and rewarding times there.'' Bruce Stuart's Tenth Anniversary Show opens with a preview at The Windjammer (main gallery) tomorrow, May 8 from 5.30 to 8 p.m. and the exhibition continues through May 31.

SAMARITAN'S COTTAGE -- Artist Bruce Stuart's image of this well known St.

George's landmark is one of the works included in his Tenth One Man Exhibition which opens with a special preview at the Windjammer Gallery tomorrow evening.

TRAVELLER'S TALE -- Bermuda resident Andrew Stevenson will give a lunchtime slide lecture at the Bermuda National Gallery today on `The People of Nepal', based on his newly published book, `Annapurna Circuit', which is the story of his travels through the mountains of Nepal. The talk takes place at 12.30 p.m., admission $5, members free.