Bonnie McLoud

Bonnie “Bonzella” would ride her banana seat bicycle through the streets of Provincetown, Cape Cod with one destination in mind. To go to the wharf and see what artists were painting outside. At five years old she knew some day she would be an artist too and watching them paint inspired something deep in her soul. Bonzella was what her Polish grandmother called her, and she decided then that it would be her artist’s name. She started taking Art lessons at age 6 and continued her schooling to obtain a degree in Studio Art/Art Education and then later went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration & Leadership from Lesley University.

In 2004, Bonnie fell down the stairs in her home resulting in failed back surgeries leaving her disabled and in chronic pain. Art became more important than ever because she found it helped with pain. “Painting through the Pain” became her artistic mantra. She first started painting with oils, then acrylics, but it was watercolor that intrigued her the most due to its versatility and vast variety of techniques that can be utilized. She has taught watercolor extensively and more recently she became interested in the Japanese style of painting called Sumi-e. In Sumi-e painting the artist uses black ink that is ground from an ink stick made of pine sap and soot. The white of the paper becomes an integral part of the composition, and the goal is to use the least amount of brush strokes to capture the essence and spirit of the subject. Bonnie currently teaches Introductory Sumi e painting and a variety of other art & metaphysical subjects. During the Covid shut down, she recently attended Parson’s School of Design and has obtained a degree in Fashion Design Essentials. Bonnie’s artwork has been featured in magazines, cards and on a CD cover of an international band called Blue Fiddle. She lives in Easthampton with her Bichonpoo dog Niko.