Meet One Of America's Prolific Artists

About artist Bonnie E. Rodgers

With each brush stroke applied, she strives to create a vision that will encourage her viewers to be drawn to and into the painting and experience something moving through their perception. As a colorist, her emphasis is flowers, fauna, nostalgic still lives, children, the dance of light on landscapes and buildings, and travel worn faces of time as she travels and broaden her horizons with intercontinental travel. Photography has allowed her to bring a piece of the world she has experienced to the canvas.  Bonnie is mostly self-taught through experimentation even though she holds a BFA and MFA because theory is what she learned.  College did give her the tools so she could tell whether or not she was accomplishing her goals.  Therefore, as an artist, she tries not to over-intellectualize her art, but instead, open herself so the energy can flow. Bonnie says, “That’s the hardest part of painting, quieting the mind and opening the heart.  But when it happens, it’s magic and I fly.”

Sketching and journaling helps her to incorporate more meaning into her work.  A recent travel to Italy and Mexico will allow new subject matter.  ”Plein Aire” painting puts subjects to canvas and paper such as  cranes and indigenous fowl migrating through Nebraska, old barns build with the hands of forefathers from pine planks atop field stones gathered as they cleared the land, farmers and their lives planted in their bib overalls and secure in their low gear lives.

Bonnie is a natural teacher who is intuitive in helping each student develop their own natural voice.  Teaching private lessons, classes, and workshops allows her to share openly and candidly about the techniques she uses.  Being prolific allows her to use the media that best describes the story she is trying to tell. 

Mrs. Rodgers is very active giving back to her community through teaching adults and children, mentoring, donating her art and talents to organizations close to her heart. She also finds time to develop self-help books for recovery, writes short stories and poetry. She is encouraged by the thought that her artwork hangs in numerous private and corporate collections internationally and represented by Creative Arts Gallery in Beatrice, Nebraska and many other galleries and events.

See the December, 2007 issue of The Artist's Magazine for her latest award. She was honored with finalist status in the experimental catagory for "Country Living", an expressive art collage.

My art disclaimer:Over the years, critics have pushed me to declare my artistic style though style is little more than a technique that galleries, art critics, or art historians use to recognize one work from another, and declare its worth. I want my work to reflect my diverse interests, skill level, and mastery of various media techniques. I strive to be honest, create from my heart, and let my soul soar in the creative process. Reining me in stops the creative being that I am that responds to the world around me and to the silent passing of my thoughts, characters I've met, my influences. I will not allow anyone to limit my expressitivity.

Press Releases:

Gallery to serve both sides of the local art scene

PAPILLION - Murphy Images Custom Framing and Gallery opened for business in downtown Papillion with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, November 9.

The gallery will feature works by local artists, initially focusing on those in Sarpy County.  "You can get mass-produced posters and reproductions at dozens of stores and internet locations," said owner Bill Murphy.  "We want to give the residents of our community a chance to support local artists and see the amazing talent we have right here in the area."

So far, nine area artists have signed on to display their work at the store.  They are:  photographers Larry Anderson, Marea Bishop, Howard Greene, Scott Kemper and Susan Murphy; mixed-media artists Julia Gilreath and Bonnie Rodgers; watercolorist Barbara Mitchell; and pen-and-ink artist Carol Coppi.

The gallery will feature a different artist each month and offer discounted framing for works from that artist.  Artwork from other artists will also be displayed and available for purchase...The grand opening is being planned to coincide with the Papillion Foundation's Winter Wonderland festivities on Friday, November 24.