Bonnie Brooks
My current paintings vary in subject matter. One week I will paint landscape, then perhaps the next week, a still life or possibly an abstract for creative play. I like to explore new ideas, techniques and styles. Acrylic paint offers plenty of options: thick, thin, collage, spattering, scraping, glazing, etc.
Light, shadow, and sense of space are an integral part of my work. My still life pieces often include utilitarian objects: tools, work boots, buckets, timeworn items that raise questions of their history and the people that used them. I set up the objects in the studio as often as possible.
I also paint the landscapes inside, preferring to only do my preliminary sketches outside. My landscapes derive from my appreciation of the spirit of nature’s quiet spaces.
I have been focusing on acrylic painting since 2008.
Prior to that I painted watercolours, became a member of The Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (CSPWC), and had a juried painting selected into The Queens Royal Collection of Drawings and Watercolours. The painting now resides in Windsor Castle. During this period I taught evening watercolour classes at St. Lawrence College in Kingston. I learned a lot as a teacher! I also worked in sales for an art supply company.
For me every painting is a new journey. There are rarely predictable outcomes but endless possibilities.