An Interview with Artist Katherine Bonnie

Every month during the First Friday Art Walk in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe we bring in an artist or maker for a pop-up! This month we’re bringing in artist and printmaker Katherine Bonnie. We’ve been fortunate to know Katherine for awhile now, and we’re thrilled to have her in the store! Ahead of her pop-up with us, we asked her some questions about herself, her art, and sustainability. Enjoy!

When did you start making and selling art?
My mother raised my brother and I to be artists, in every sense of the word, but especially in how we look at and understand the world. We had designated art tables from the start - creating was always a part of our lives. I took my first printmaking class in 11th grade, and I immediately connected to this mode of mark making. It’s very process driven, super tactile, and oftentimes incredibly unpredictable. I love the magic of running a plate through the press and seeing the result on the other side. I am just now starting to sell my art, and I’m looking forward to more opportunities to take my art out of the privacy of my home and studio and share it! 

What inspires your work?
My work is very influenced by time spent in Nature, whether that is in a more remote landscape, in deep quiet, or at my community garden in Denver - the wonders of Earth are forever inspiration. This theme is paired with an interest in color theory and abstraction, with a playful approach to both. My monoprints are shape and color games, which often seem to be landscapes in translation. The zinc plate etchings I’ve been doing the past few years are more realistic and specific in detail. It’s fun to have both styles going at once. 

What does sustainability mean to you and how does your art reflect that belief?
Sustainability begins with understanding myself to be inherently a part of and in concert with Earth, and using this understanding of connectedness in thought and action. With this perspective, we become a collective which believes in a healthy future honoring all beings. I believe sustainability is bred from awareness and gratitude, two things I hope my prints and imagery might nourish. The images themselves speak to a cosmology of care and interconnectedness integral to life lived in community with Earth. This is what I love about thrifting and sustainable fashion! It is creative and connecting. 

What is your goal as an artist?
I am excited to continue growing into myself through my art, using this exploration as a way to build community, ground and heal. I am a forever student, and printmaking holds endless possibilities. I am looking forward to learning more and trying different techniques such as Lithography or Solarplate printing. This summer I am taking a woodcut printing course at Anderson Ranch, and I’m both nervous and thrilled to expand my print vocabulary. The exploration of it all is what anchors me and my practice moving forward. 

If you were an animal/breakfast cereal/ice cream flavor/style of architecture what would you be?
Animal: Hmmm… maybe a deer?

Breakfast cereal: Muesli

Ice cream flavor: Strawberry

Style of architecture: Turn of the century farmhouse on the outside, mid century modern on the inside:)

What’s next for you? Are there any projects or goals you are currently working toward that you'd like to share about?
I am looking to be at multiple art fairs around Denver and Colorado this summer, still to be determined. The shop portion of my website is in process, and will have prints for sale, as well as some fun items like tote bags and button pins - coming soon! I am really taking it all step by step and seeing where the art leads me.

Are there any artistic mediums you’d like to explore that you haven’t yet?
I have been wanting to get on board the ceramics train with everybody and try my hand at clay. I think the process and tactile aspect of ceramics is super appealing. I have also been wanting to up my sewing skills from mending to making! 

Thanks for reading! If you’re interested in being one of our featured artists, send us an email. We’re always looking to expand our community and showcase the talent our city has to offer.

Until next time,
“Be excellent to each other”