Art & Life with Nicolette Maguire Bonnstetter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicolette Maguire Bonnstetter.

Nicolette, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I was the BEST Princess drawer in my elementary class! Yup! I was. There was a line at my desk to draw, (mainly girls) wanting a princess! Well, if that isn’t a reinforcement, I don’t know what is. I went to college and received an art degree, never drawing a princess again, as I think about it.

I taught art in public schools for a short time and then began teaching Art Methods, and Art History at the college level. I retired after 27 years, and dearly miss those college-age students that push themselves and are discovering who they want to be.

I’m still discovering who I am in Arizona. My husband brought his research to Arizona seven years ago, and I am lucky enough to have a studio and can paint full time. My clients are loyal, and I’m happy to paint each day.

I maybe feel like a princess!

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I’m from a small town in Iowa and loved growing up in this ideal “Mayberry” like a place. The good stuff about small town living, the family dynamics of cousins and extended family which informs my art today.

I use, many times, objects from that time period. Someone writing about my work called it archival, I think that is true. You have to be a certain age to know what these objects are. I typically use objects from a women’s day, pink curlers, nail polish, games for children.

The objects are very much a part of my work and important. In honesty, I am even more concerned with the composition than the use of these archival objects. I look at my work and see abstraction! The color on a black field. I’m happy that you also can find a bit of your past as you look. But don’t forget to see the abstraction of our world on linen.

Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities, and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
I use to tell my students to get a business minor. You have to be a good business person to run an art business.

I also strongly believe you have to do art that feeds your soul! When you begin to do art to sell to the public, and the public is your focus, you have lost, more then you know.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Supporting artists is simply buying original art. I have a great concern that reproduction art is taking away from the artists’ brush stroke. Buy art, not the autograph on a copy.

My work has just come down from the Shemer Art Center, a group exhibit, Phoenix, AZ.
The Desert Foothills Gallery group exhibit until the end of October, Cave Creek, AZ.
180 Gallery, retrospective, until Dec. 30, Phoenix, AZ.
Holland Gallery of Fine Art group exhibit April, Scottsdale, AZ.
Memories exhibit Holland Galley of Fine Art, three-person exhibit, Nov. 2020 Scottsdale, AZ.

Each month, we have a discussion about exhibits at the Holland Gallery of Fine Art.
Art, Coffee, and Conversation. This is something you can get involved in to learn more about art and artists. 10:00 the first Friday of the month October to May at the Holland Center 60th and Carefree Hwy. Scottsdale, AZ.

I was juried into the memories exhibit for Dec.this year at Shemer, it’s up now.

Contact Info:

• Website: Nicsart.com
• Phone: 402-417-5614
• Email: Email Nic@nicsart.com
• Instagram: instagram Nicolette Maguire Bonnstetter
• Facebook: facebook Nics Art

Image Credit:
Ron Bonnstetter

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