Have you met…Bonny Leibowitz?

Bonny Leibowitz, Precious 2014 variable 10x18x9 wire, plaster, Tyvek, silk and acrylic, photo credit Harold Samples

An introduction can be a wonderful thing. You can meet interesting people, and make new friends. You can be introduced to your new favorite foods, books, music, or artist. I’d like to introduce you to some of my favorite artists. Some of whom I’ve been familiar with for years, and others I’ve only recently been introduced to. The person I’d like to introduce is the artist  Bonny Leibowitz.

Bonny Leibowitz, All Things Considered 2014 46×30 tyvek, plaster, encaustic wax monotype, acrylic, mulberrry and stonehenge paper, photo credit Hal Samples

Bonny Leibowitz has been an influential participant of the Dallas art community since the late ’80s when she moved to Dallas. The artist studied at Temple University’s Tyler College of Art in Philadelphia then worked in the gallery business, representing artists and organizing shows. Eventually, she began exhibiting her work in the region and throughout the southwest. Her one person shows include those in Dallas, Palm Springs, Chicago, Hawaii and Santa Fe, to name a few.

Her series; “Plight of the Pleasure Pods” was exhibited in 2013 at Cohn Drennan Contemporary, Dallas, TX as well as her body of work; “Symbiosis”, in the Blurr exhibition there in 2012 with a subsequent solo exhibition at the Museum of Art at Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, TX.

Bonny has been recognized for her art internationally through Israel bonds, traveling to Israel in 2002 to participate in a group multi media event /exhibition there and has pieces included in “Arte Internationale”, September 2013 in Matera, Italy.

Bonny Leibowitz, Portal 2 2014 9×12 graphite and photography on yupo, photo credit Harold Samples

“My current body of work; “Suspended Beliefs” started, in part with a desire to create a variety of rich inviting surfaces. Lately, I’ve been drawn to beauty of extravagance; the Baroque and Rococo periods with their “other worldly” pinks, blues and golds

I’m interested in expounding upon some symbolic attributes of “heavenly-ness” by over glorifying the forms I create; embellishing with putti and gold gilding. I then juxtapose those elements with the presence decaying vessels and imagery which speaks more to earthly struggles.

I’m using a variety of materials including wire, plaster, tyvek, mulberry bark, vinyl, graphite, yupo, salvaged architectural pieces and acrylic along with photography; details from masterworks of the 17th century.

I like looking at the process of how we question what we grew up “knowing”, what we stay attached to and how we come to unravel the validity of long held beliefs, tweaking our stance on personal truth, purpose and legacy as we move thorough life.

I’m using these concepts to create glorious facades with a nod to vanity, history, ritual, survival and transformation.

Right now I’m getting ready for my exhibition at Art Cube Gallery in Laguna Beach, California. My studio feels like a light airy piece of heaven, it’s a great feeling and I imagine I’ll miss the environment when it ships out this November.” BL

Bonny Leibowitz, Attributes and Prayer 2014 40×40 variable tyvek, cotton and acrylic photo credit Harold Samples

Other material relating to Bonny Leibowitz.

Artist website: bonnyleibowitz.com

The Bonny Studio: Bonny Leibowitz

The Encaustic Center: Bonny Leibowitz

Lynette Haggard Art Blog: Bonny Leibowitz

Modern Dallas: Bonny Leibowitz

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