Debra Bonsack

Website: www.bonsackgallery.com

Area of Operation: Boise, Idaho

Artist biography of prolific visual story teller, Debra Bonsack From birth, Debra was was destined to be a visual artist. Born into an artist family, in a rural California agricultural community, Bonsack found an easel in her family portrait studio as a small child. Debra’s aunt took special interest in her and encouraged her art career. Debra started painting early, completing her first oil painting by the age of seven. By high school Debi had become quite prolific as a painter, selling more work in the annual student art show than any previous student. She continued her artistic career after a brief break from art to start a family. She resumed her career as a painter of figurative work. Her love of animals and the western community where she was raised evoked a large body of western work. After acquiring a degree in visual art from Cal State Stanislaus, As well as a art teaching credential from Chapman university, Bonsack turned prolific visual story teller of her country environment as well as credentialed high school art teacher. She upheld this position for twenty five years while showing her work at festivals and exhibits across the western United States. A extremely energetic painter, Debra exhibited in as many as 30 shows per year while teaching full time and running of her own galleries. Bonsack has been known to paint as many as a dozen works in a week and sell as many on the weekend. Bonsack currently has two homes, studios and galleries. Her California home doubles as a vacation rental, art gallery and studio. This home, nestled in the Sierras in home to eighty plus pieces of Bonsack work available for guests to purchase off the walls. Her Boise Idaho home features a third story studio overlooking the foothills. Here students learn her techniques in all mediums. Bonsack specializes in textural Acrylic. This method of painting has produced several hundred pieces in the past fifteen years of her career. The medium is fluid like watercolor yet thick like palette knife oil painting. This unique technique has become her signiture work. The artist has experienced great success from this self developed formula and it was not until recently she has chosen to teach this method. In addition to the unique medium, Bonsack’s subjects have taken on a fresh look. Her large series entitled “ My Happy Place”, captures the sweetness in life that is seen through the innocence of a child. Bonsack has received countless ribbons, “best of shows” and “people’s choice” awards but continues to feel her prolific sales record and appreciative student satisfaction remains the best compliment to her career.

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