ARTIST BIO

As a child, Bonnie was surrounded by family members with an array of artistic talents including interior design, portrait art and sculpture. She was known as a person with a flair and for the celebratory events and holidays she hosted which were visually beautiful. She has maintained a perennial garden for years which has been an outlet for her creativity.

Bonnie dreamed of being a psychologist but was given limited and incorrect advice about the road to make becoming a psychotherapist happen. She pivoted and obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Communicative Disorders at the University of Illinois. Upon graduation she joined  the staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chicago as a Speech Pathologist. After several years she was promoted to Director of the Department which also included Audiology, Learning Disabilities and Deaf Education. It was a wonderful job but Bonnie left this position when she had her first child and went to work part time for the University of Chicago’s Weiss Hospital. While the work was interesting her desire to work as a psychotherapist never left her.

While raising her children and working as a Speech Pathologist Bonnie returned to school for a second Master’s degree enabling her to reach her dream of becoming a psychoanalytically informed psychotherapist.  Her career focused on working with adults and couples and she continues to work in the field to this day.

Bonnie has been joyfully married for 50 years and has 2 adult sons and 2 grandchildren.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I have been a life long lover of abstract expressionism. As a young woman I filled my house with prints by the iconic artists Rothko, Pollack, Kline and Kooning.  It never occurred to me to try to paint in the style of the artists I revered.  Not being able to draw in a linear or realistic way, I made the assumption that I would be unable to paint in the style I loved.

I decided to go to a 4 day workshop focusing on abstract expressionism to challenge my assumption. I have been thrilled to find I am able to paint in the style that I have loved for most of my life.  Currently I have been working on 2 series - one that focuses on exploring shapes, lines, marks and color.  The second series focuses on texture.  Recently I have gleaned inspiration from nature using my perennial garden and walks in the nearby treasured Chicago

Botanical Garden as my muse.

Picasso said that “art washes away the dust of everyday life.”  I paint to attempt to express my life long appreciation of art. I paint to challenge my assumptions. I paint to make my surroundings more beautiful. I paint to evoke feelings of joy and satisfaction when I create work that excites me. I paint to meet other artists who might have similar passions.  I hope this new direction will allow me to connect to people through the feeling states that my art evokes.  I hope my work might nourish the souls of people that are drawn to it.