Artist Statements

Relationships

The Relationships Sculpture series is still in process. Once completed, I hope to display the female and male torsos as a dynamic installation. For example, exhibition space depending, two torsos could be placed at each end to begin the installation and then every week be changed in location in order to signify the varying and consistently dynamic behavior of humans themselves.

Human Landscapes

Freed from myth, drifts in
romance, lust, abstraction, pose
waves undulating

The Human Landscapes haiku summarizes the approaches to the human figure over time. Notions of the Greek ideal have been lost and so often to view a nude is to view pornography, as opposed to the bared human body. If bodies are not viewed as pornography, they are viewed as easily manipulated forms subject to plastic surgery and idealized notions of perfection. In light of the organic movement in America for food, I wonder if there will be a turning point in the preoccupation of editing the body with surgery and drugs as opposed to more organic methods.

Trees of Life

Living veins branches
tears, laughter, delight, love, doubt
air again grasping

The Trees of Life haiku personifies tree branches with human emotions or characteristics. Tree branches in winter with their neuron like appearance and bared branch lines easily lend themselves to greater emotional content than a fully leaved summer tree. My anthropomorphizing attempts to relate their status as a living being in need of appreciation and protection.

For these painting series and ones in progress, I mull pigments into paint by hand as my way of being not only archival but organic or natural in my approach to depicting natural and organic forms.

Vita

Born in Chicago Heights
Lives and works in Chicago, Illinois

Education

2007
Human Anatomy + Physiology I - Oakton Community College, Skokie, IL

1998
BA, English Creative Writing, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL

1993
Intro to Figure Drawing & Figure Drawing I, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Solo Exhibitions

2009
Trees of Life, Evanston Atelier, Evanston, IL

Group Exhibitions

2010
EAC Members Exhibition, juried exhibition, Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL
Edgewater Artists in Motion, juried exhibition, Chicago, IL
Chicago Fringe Artists Networking Night, juried exhibition, Red Tape Theatre Company, Chicago, IL

2009
Group Invitational, CCT Gallery, Chicago, IL
A Green Arts Showcase, juried exhibition, Noyes Cultural Arts Center, Evanston, IL
Places: From Arcadia to Urban Landscape, group invitational, Murphy Hill Gallery, Chicago, IL

2008
Explorations 2008 - New Works by New Artists, juried exhibition, The Art Center (TAC), Highland Park, IL

2006
Group Invitational, Chicago Pilates, Chicago, IL

2005
Postcards to the CAC, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA

2004
Postcards to the CAC, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA

2002
Under Exposed, New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, LA
Graves, Cemeteryscape Photographic Exhibition, Save Our Cemeteries, New Orleans, LA
Human Landscapes, Fresh Arts Festival, New Orleans, LA
Human Landscapes, West Bank Art Guild 13th Annual Open Exhibit, New Orleans, LA

2001
Asia, Thirteenth Floor Gallery, Chicago, IL

Publications / Reviews

2010
"A Connected Collection," by Evangeline Politis, Sheridan Road, Vol. 4, No.3, 2010

Candid Photographs featured in "EAC sponsors auction for art-loving public," Pioneer Press - Evanston Review, July 15, 2010

"Roundtable with Rani Woolpert featuring Jyl Bonaguro," by Rani Woolpert, Transistor Chicago, March 28, 2010

Candid Photographs featured in "EAC presents Winter Arts+Crafts Expo," Pioneer Press - Evanston Review, February 18, 2010

2009
"Review: Places - Murphy Hill Gallery," by Chris Miller, Newcity Art, February 2, 2009

Awards

2010
"First Place," - All Catagories, EAC Members Exhibition, Evanston, IL

2002
Merit Award, Graves, Cemeteryscape Photographic Exhibition, Save Our Cemeteries, New Orleans, LA

1994 - 1998
Presidential Honors Academic Scholarship, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL

Private Collections

Paula and Jeff Danoff, Winnetka, IL
Adrian Deckbar, New Orleans, LA
Judy and Rick Fenton, Highland Park, IL
Jaclyn and John Miller, Las Vegas, NV
Melissa Purdom, Chicago, IL
Dr. Caroline Scholtz and Dr. Michael Stablein, Lincolnshire, IL

Professional Experience

2009 - Present
Instructor, Bottles & Brushes, Chicago, IL

2002 - Present
Owner, JB Dezigns Graphic Design & Web Development, Chicago, IL

2008
Juror, 12"x12" Adult Student Show, Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL

2006 - 2010
Graphics & Office Administrator, Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL

2001 - 05
Director, Bergeron Studio & Gallery of Vintage Photography, New Orleans, LA

2005
Vice-President, New Orleans Arts District Association, New Orleans, LA

2005
Marketing Consultant, Arts Council of New Orleans Business Incubator Program, New Orleans, LA

2004
Presented "Marketing and the Arts" Workshop, Arts Council of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA

2003
Presented “Web Design Smarts for the Arts” Workshop, Arts Council of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA

2001
Freelance Photographer, Gallery 37, Chicago, IL