Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodi.
Hi Jodi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have exhibited for over 3 decades. The urge to tell stories through drawing and painting began early. I grew up in a small house in L.A. and we had this blank wall in the living room. My father had hired an artist to paint a mural. I was almost 7 at the time and was completely swept away. I had my pencil and crayons and sat close by as he worked. I drew as I watched him draw right on the wall and then paint. It was magic. He looked at my drawings and encouraged me to keep drawing. There were many struggles growing up and drawing was a safe place for me and still is. Years later my son Spencer became my main inspiration. My husband and I were thrilled to have a son. Seeing my son for the first time was the best moment of my life. I never knew I could feel such a deep love for another human being. I taught art at his elementary school and painted as my son slept. I exhibited with the Orlando Gallery for many years in the San Fernando Valley. Robert Gino championed my work and one of my first reviews was in the LA Times as a result. I have had many great reviews through the years. The Museum Of Art and History in Lancaster has published a beautiful hard cover book of my bird series titled “Jodi Bonassi Birds”. I am grateful. For many years I was most noted for a Barbershop series and people in other public settings of communal exchange. I also did a metro series for years and then completed two large pieces about the pandemic, George Floyd and the politics of the day.
During the pandemic I turned to nature as a way to find peace in a world I no longer understood. It was actually an easy transition as I had often used birds and other animals in my works. Over the years I have been published in the L.A. Times, Boston Globe and other publications. and magazines. I have had reviews by Peter Frank, David S. Rubin, Genie Davis, Betty Brown and other curators.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was never a smooth road growing up. My parents struggled from time to time and my mother was ill for many years with breast cancer. She died when I was seventeen and then my father died about five years later. Before her illness, my brothers and I were the original latch key kids. No one was home to raise us. My oldest brother was raised more by an uncle and he was lucky. My other brother and I were never led to be anything, so there was a lot of confusion. After my mother died, I felt lost. Years later I fell into the beauty business and then worked as a nanny. I didn’t think of becoming a professional artist until after my son was born. My husband and I were both creatives so our income has always been up and down. My husband has always been the main income and I was the supplementary income and main caregiver. Being a mother was my joy so this worked well for us. The art world is competitive and was never easy for me to figure out but I made many good art friends along the way. I believe that each artist can find a place. I have never had the means to market myself so I work at honing my skills, and creating complex compositions that are true for me. You cannot look at what you think the world wants or what is trending. You have to forget what others are doing and do what’s real for you. The patterns and complex compositions in my work is who I am and express a deep conversation that never ends.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an observer and interpret the world through drawing and painting. My series of works include Butterfly women, barbershops, cafes, people on the metro and now birds and other animals in nature. I specialize in creating Intricate patterns and images woven into the backgrounds to tell an ongoing narrative. According to Peter Frank, a well respected curator, I am most noted for my barbershop series. I did not let this inhibit me from exploring new subject matter. In recent years I have been recognized for my bird paintings. In “Jodi Bonassi Birds”, published by the Museum Of Art and History in Lancaster, David S. Rubin wrote a detailed essay about my work. In the essay he states, “Bonassi humanizes her birds by presenting them in three quarter view, in the manner of Old Master Portraiture, and by assigning them human attributes.”
I am proud of myself for working in different subject matter. Most artist get noted in one area and are afraid of change. For me, each series has been a stepping stone to the next one. All the works are connected because it is from an authentic place. What sets me apart from others is that I never think about where a painting is going, if it will ever be exhibited or sell. I am driven to draw and paint.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Creating is a personal journey but always when possible include others along the way. See the beauty in what other artists do and inspire others by sharing your process. If someone asks how you did something in your work, share it. Ten artists can have the same reference and information but each artist will create something different. The beauty of art is that each person’s interpretation will be unique to them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jodibonassiart.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/jodi_bonassi
Image Credits
Curt Grosjean
