Bonnie Grace

I am a multidisciplinary practitioner. I am inspired and visually research what is in front of me. Play and exploration is important to my practice. Continuous line drawing are my starting point allowing me the freedom the play and explore the shapes formed creating new narrative. I am particularly interested in ceramics & textiles (weave).

Q&A

Artist Statement

My work revolves around objects, from antiques to the everyday. I have grown up involved in my mothers antique business, therefore, the spaces I’ve inhabited have always housed ever-changing collections of objects spanning through the ages. Through my work I aim to investigate, dissect and translate these objects.Drawing is always the beginning of my work and from there everything develops, my practice is process lead and through making, I am able to discover its meaning. Through continuous line drawing I am able to disconnect from the object and take my work beyond what I see before me in order to explore it further. Working through a verity of media, ranging from drawing, painting, paintwork, textiles, paper work, ceramics and found objects, I am able to create a collage of work that represents my investigation into ‘the object’. My work tends to feel as though there is multiple projects, running alongside each other but each element relies on each other. Each element relevant to each other but each could be our own project. Embedded within my designs is my secret language inspired by binary code and the repetitive grids found in textiles.

What craft do you work with?

Multidiscipline, Working in paper, ceramics, print, textiles, painting, screen printing & laser cutting. Been working with these materials over the past 6 years but ceramics is my new passion which I’ve been working with for the past year and I’m passionate about working with this in the future.

What inspires you to work with this craft?

I’m passionate about historical craft & items (antiques) . The history, craft and skill put into an objects are just as fascinating to me as the finished object. The story the items hold within them waiting to be explored. I’m inspired by the ‘behind the scenes work’ textiles and especially weaving which is a great inspiration for my current work. I love exploring objects through drawing (continuous line) , by doing this I sit and stare at an object, learning something new with every drawing. I am constantly learning.

How do you start your creative process?

I always begin my creative process with visual research & line drawing. From these drawings, shapes form, giving my objects new life and it is from this transformation on paper I am able to translate these drawings into new medias. Sometimes the line drawing is constrictive so I push myself to develop them into different techniques till I find what works. slab built jugs, paper weaving , overlapping screen prints, risograph prints.

Your workspaces?

Some might say my workspace is chaotic or a mess but to me it’s a representation of my thought process. A lot going on all at once. Multiple projects going on at the same but all informed by each other.

Sharing your craft and experience?

“Don’t restrict yourself, just try it” – something I am constantly reminding myself.