Bonnie’s art shows passion for patterns
A common response to Bonnie Coad’s quirky artwork is that it keeps revealing new secrets over a long time. Looking at it, you can see why; it’s a vision that keeps on giving.
Coad’s animal pattern series is set to take up wall space in the Arty Nelson gallery and it promises to leave visitors staring at each piece for some time.
Coad said she had come up with something ‘‘quite original’’.
‘‘I’ve looked and looked to see if anyone else is doing what I’m doing and I can’t find anyone else who’s doing it, which is rare these days.’’
The inspiration came from her method of creating texture in her artwork.
‘‘I was really interested in texture effects with paint layers so you had all the texture making the paint behave in different ways with the different layers of the surface,’’ says Coad. ‘‘I was using sewing patterns to paint over to get the texture effect and the words were coming through. It was just really interesting, especially with all the languages. I was just really searching for a way to use that.’’
Incorporating the sewing pattern and making it more of a feature, Coad completed two human figure pieces which were well received before moving to animals.
Now six years on, pattern animals is a style Coad has made her own.
Exhibiting and selling her art since 2000, Coad took her natural talent and developed it by completing a diploma with honours in Arts and Creativity in 2013. Coad is achieving great things, being selected for exhibitions all over the country and having pieces hanging in cafes and galleries in the region including Mapua’s The Cool Store, The Framing Room in Nelson and The Argosy Cafe in Renwick.
Coad said being an artist isn’t always conducive to paying the bills so she works three days a week at Wither Hills in viticulture.
Coad lives with her family in rural Marlborough’s Onamalutu.
When she feels like she needs a distraction from her art she can ‘‘check the animals, do some gardening and have a break’’.
‘‘I’ve arrived where I’ve always wanted to be.’’