Gallery Hours:
Wednesday to Saturday 10am-4pm
Sunday 12-4pm
Bonnie Gardiner
Acrylic
I am a lifelong resident of Grey County, currently residing at A Brush With Words with my partner, artist and sculptor Peter John Reid. As an original member of the Studio XX painting group, I had my first visual art show, "Coming Out of My (Creative) Closet," at the Owen Sound Artist’s Co-op in March 2008, where I made my first sale. My second solo show, "Don't Fence Me In," was at the Chesley Library in fall 2008 and was successful. Since then, I have shown and sold art at The Loft Gallery, the Grey County Artist's Show, the Bruce Peninsula Art Show, and several other galleries, including my home studio.
I am a self-published author of children's books and three collections of vignettes and poetry: "Growing in Grey," "Human Beings Being Human," and "A Brush With Words." My work has also been published in Mosaic magazine.
In regards to my visual work, I seem to have a preference for items that most people pass by without a second glance; things that are often old and have fallen into decay , the aged patina of blistered paint and skewed structures. My loose, free flowing style leans toward the abstract but still has a clear story to tell. Through brush strokes on the canvas, I endeavour to convey my feelings of seeing the beauty in the simple things around me and transcending them to another level. I find being an artist - the written not so much as the visual - is a life of solitude and being given the opportunity to share my work is a way to attempt to connect with others. It's an opening of the doors to my soul and initiating an invitation to my personal world. I am happiest when I am creating.
