Today we’d like to introduce you to Bonnie Larden. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Bonnie Larden is a self-taught, professional artist. Growing up on a cattle ranch in South Texas, Bonnie has always held a deep love for animals. She originally worked towards becoming a veterinarian by completing a degree in Biomedical Science at Texas A&M University. After college, Bonnie began working as a science teacher in Houston at Spring Branch ISD for 8 years. Moving towards a career as an artist in 2017, Bonnie was able to combine her love of animals with her second passion of creativity and interior design. As she considered an artistic style that would set her apart from other artists, she found inspiration in two of her favorite enjoyments from life.
I am an artist participating in the Bayou City Art Festival Downtown October 8-9.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
All artists have struggles, even successful ones.
From the moment I decided to quit my teaching job to become an artist, I have struggled with the fact that most people often look at art as a hobby rather than a profession.
Although, one of the biggest struggles I face as a professional artist is keeping my work fresh on social media. This introverted artist has a hard time with the pressure to showcase my life and personality on social media in order to keep or reach a larger audience. It is not only about posting my own virtual art gallery anymore. This also tends to take up more time than the art itself, which I never seem to have. On a positive note, the online world has allowed me to easily connect and communicate with people all over the world.
Of course, there is also the typical battles with my own doubt that I think all creatives go through. I have never created a work that didn’t have me questioning my decisions throughout the work. It is just part of the process. and if it were easy, then the final products wouldn’t be as significant.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a visual artist working with acrylic paints and gels mostly on wooden panels. I have always been drawn to the beauty of worn textures, crumbling walls, and the colors that bleed through while being distressed by nature or age. This is an ongoing theme in all my paintings, building up layers of paint and textures then washing and scrubbing them away at the surface. As I considered an artistic style that would set me apart from other artists, I found inspiration in my love of animals and my second passion of creativity and interior design. I like to juxtapose the untamed wild with designed interiors to create an element of surprise, with the aim to evoke a sense of imagination and interpretation in the viewer.
How do you define success?
I find that success is hard to define as an artist and that each artist has their own measure of success.
On a personal level, I love what I do and my ongoing ability to spend my time and energy on my art feels like a success. Like they say, “happiness is the key to success.”
From an artistic perspective, success is having my work continue to evolve without losing my style. I also feel successful when I hear people talking about my paintings, making up their own stories or perceptions about a piece. I love when my art brings joy to a person or makes them feel something.
From a business standpoint, solo or group exhibitions, successful art festivals, people who like my work enough to buy it and financial stability, are all a major bonus.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bonnielarden.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonnielardenart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnielardenart
