Artist Statement

Bonnie’s first weaving project was a table runner she designed and wove in third grade under the guidance of a very inspiring art teacher. From that point until the late 1980s she finished her formal education, taught science in Ghana with the Peace Corps, worked in public health with community organizations and traveled widely in Africa, South Asia, South America and southwestern United States. Bonnie developed a great appreciation for the connection between health and economic independence. This led to an interest in local craft projects as a means to generate income and as an expression of community aesthetic traditions. Inspired by these traditions, she returned to weaving in 1988.

Bonnie is primarily self-taught. The designs and colors in her woven clothing and accessories reflect the influence of the past 30 years of work and travel. She works in cotton, Tencel and rayon and loves creating geometric loom-controlled designs. She has a special interest in doubleweave patterns and has been experimenting lately with relationships between music, mathematics and doubleweave designs.

She is a member of the Ann Arbor Fiber Arts Guild, the Fiberarts Network, Michigan League of Handweavers, Complex Weavers, and the Handweavers Guild of America.