Karen Bonner
Spring is always the most inspirational time of the year for me, as all nature awakes to bloom and reproduce. It is the reference for much of my art. My husband and I walk every day in the outdoors. We love toe parts with woods and waterfalls. Inspiration can come from anywhere, like the chicken at the State Fair, or animals at Wagner Farm, or ducks on a pond in The Grove. We have a special, little zoo that we love to visit just north of Milwaukee. They allow you to rent a golf cart to drive the loop at your leisure. We spend the afternoon making that three-mile loop. With the Botanic Gardens close by it isn’t necessary to travel too far away. However I am still painting raptors and scenery from our vacation in Alaska and Pacific Northwest. All experiences are references for my art.
For me, my paintings are telling a memory that is in my mind as I paint. In the art displayed here, at this Gallery Show, I have written the story behind the art works if there is something special to tell. Of course every person brings their own interpretation to the works, but I hope that my stories and art will provide some entertainment as one walks through the halls.
In spring of 2013 we moved from Cleveland to Northbrook to be closer to my daughter and son. We now have four grandchildren who are the focus of my attention these days. Moving to a new city and state was difficult, but I made new friends through my many classes at this YMCA. I am forever grateful for the experience gained in watercolor classes with Fran Vail at the Y. I had classes with her for nearly a decade and I owe much of my ability to her.
One always has more to learn in art. I had a teacher once who said the reason she loved teaching was to learn from her students. It is important, I think, to challenge oneself to try new things. That is why I have a variety of mediums in this show that include watercolor, colored pencils, liquid charcoal, acrylics, and acrylic mediums to enhance the texture. Then I also love to experiment on surfaces other than traditional canvas, such as wood, slate, or glass. With this story complete, I invite you to walk through “my stories”.