Following in the Footsteps of the Wyeth Family: The Inspiring Story of James Bonner

I have with me artist, James Bonner. Nice to be with you today. Nice to be with you too. And of course we're, we're, we're with one another virtually and remotely. So, uh, we've gone back format temporarily based on weather related issues. So thank you for, uh, working through the technology with us. Now, it looks like you've got some beautiful pieces, uh, behind you. Is this, uh, is this your home? Is this your studio? Where are you located right now? Um, located in Kittery, Maine. It's the Southern part of Maine, the very right on the border of New Hampshire and in Maine actually. So yes, I work out of, out of my house. Um, studio is located in the house, so, um, it's a nice, nice little space here. And, um, yeah, I've got a couple of oil paintings here on the back, back behind me, um, that I've been working on, uh, recently. So, uh, um, just kind of, I kind of dabble in all different mediums. So, uh, oil is kind of what I'm into now. You know, I kind of, I did a lot of watercolor and acrylic and GU for my, um, show that just started at the Portland gallery and, uh, kind of slowing things down a little bit and, um, going with oil pains, which take a little bit longer to, uh, to finish. I enjoy working with all different mediums. So is it because of the, um, the way that the paint, uh, kind of responds to the canvas? Is it because the, for those of us who are not artists, is it because the paint takes longer to dry? Why does it take longer for something in oil to be finished? Well, yeah, oil paints, um, because they are based oil, oil based. They do take longer to dry and the way I work with them, and actually I worked with the same way with acrylic and watercolor, um, by layering translucent layer, layers of paint over each other with acrylic and watercolor, the paint dries immediately. And, um, with oil, it takes hours sometimes days to dry. Um, this one over here, the, the bell, uh, I, I, I actually put a layer on it and I used a blazing medium, and it's, it's, it's actually been drawn for almost a week now. I'm getting very impatient on that one. Um, but it's about ready to the layer that I put down about ready to be dry. So I can, I can go over it with another layer. So I layered the colors, um, starting out very transparent translucent, and I build up the opacity each layer. So my, my, my final are, are pretty opaque and, uh, I never get really thick. Um, but they are pretty, pretty heavy by the time I get to the end, particularly in the white areas. Uh, when I use a lot of white in the paint, um, in this other, still life over here, or, uh, it's, it's just about done, I've probably got another layer to go over it and then, uh, varnish it and then sign it. So, um, and these are on, these are actually on Birch panels, not on canvas. So, um, I do wear work on canvas too, but the smaller, the image, I like to work more on a panel because you don't get the texture of the, of the weave of the, of the fabric of the canvas of the linen coming through, especially when you're doing some detail, a lot of detail, uh, in the work, the painting behind you, uh, the Monhegan lifeline is on a panel and that's acrylic also, and there's many layers on that, but the difference on that being acrylic is that the paint dries immediately, so I can layer it just, you know, very quickly, very quickly, whereas the oils, I have to have a little bit more patience, which is kind of hard. So, and I also work in egg Tera, which drives very quickly too. And I work in layers, transparent, translucent layers, uh, building up the opacity on that, but, but egg Tempra drives fast also. So, um, you can layer it pretty quickly, but yeah, it's, it's, uh, it's a process and I do enjoy slowing down sometimes and, and working a little bit slower. And I, I love the oil paints too. Just the quality of the, uh, the oil. There's a little bit for me when I use 'em, there's a little bit more softness, uh, to the image. Um, and not quite a hard edge, I would say to the image when I'm painting it, if I can explain it that way, but yeah, it's kind of a nutshell process. It sounds like you've used a variety of mediums, um, for quite some time. Was there one that initially, um, drew you to it that you spent time really getting very good at before you moved on? Or have you always just taken a broader approach? Well, when I was, when I was in school in college and, and studying, um, I studied under, um, primarily under Al Allen, who was a Southern artist. That's pretty well known. And, um, he, he, he basically, we worked in acrylic and oil, so I started out in oil, uh, paint actually, but I really wasn't crazy about it early on. Um, I became interested in, uh, the WIS Andrew wi Jamie wife, Winslow Homer while I was in school. And, um, so those artists used a lot of watercolor. So I really got interested in watercolor pro primarily, um, and started just experimenting with that. I didn't really have any instruction on it. I, you know, I kind of consider myself self taught in a way because I, um, I just basically experimented and whenever I got a chance to go see, uh, Andrew w or Jamie w exhibit at a museum or anything that had Weszel Homer, um, I went and basically just got that far from a painting, you know, and just studied and tried to figure out, you know, how they use their, their technique with the medium. And, uh, then I'd go back to the studio and just experiment and, um, you know, not necessarily not, not really wanting to copy them, but I was very interested in, in how they used used watercolor primarily. And then from, from watercolor, I became very interested in egg Tera, which is a very ancient, medium predates oil painting. It was a Renaissance medium where you use the yolk of an egg and you mix it with distilled water. You set the yo from the, the sack and the white of the egg, pour it in a, I pour it in a little glass jar mix in some distilled water until you get the right consistency. And then, um, you use dry pigments, um, and mix the pigment in with the yolk and the water and it makes a past. And, um, so anyway, I basically, Andrew wife ha has painted with egg temper, or he's no longer alive, but painted with egg temper. So I did the same thing. Every time I went to a wife exhibit, I studied egg temper just by looking at his work and then going back to the studio and experimenting. And, um, until I figured out kind of what I thought he was doing. And then I took it from there and I, I, I used my own, you know, basically techniques off of that, but I figured out the basics on my own and then, um, kind of went with it after that. But, but yeah, a lot of it has been, has been just through experimentation learning how to do things. So I, I do consider myself a little bit, a little bit self talk, which I don't think it's a bad thing. No, it always seems like it's a little bit of a mixture of both for most people who are artists. True. Very true, very true. What is it about Andrew that appeal to you? His work is probably of all artists struck the, the most struck a chord with me. I think it's, um, not only his, I, I, I love the way he applied the paint and his style of paint, but I love the simplicity of his paintings, how he simplified the image down to, um, the essence of what he was trying to express. And that, that, that to me really resonated. And I, that's what I try to do in my work. I, I, I heavily edit my work, um, landscapes. I take out a lot of extraneous detail and, and bring it down to what just very minimal, um, image and I mean, all has to work in the composition too. So that's important. And, um, I just try to get it down to, to the very essence of what I'm trying to say, um, in the painting. Um, but why was a master of that? I felt like Andrew, particularly and Jamie also, but, but Andrew, um, Andrew was really a master that, and there they're just, um, something about his personality too. I just seem to resonate with me also. Um, I I'm, I'm somewhat shy and a little bit reclusive and, um, I, I, I like that about him. He, he, he kind of kept to himself, even though he was very famous and became very famous. I mean, he, he, he just kind of Roan the countryside and did his, you know, did his work and didn't, uh, tune his horn a lot, you know, and just let his work speak for himself. So that's, I just, it just really resonated with me, but, um, yeah, I, I, I would say, I would say that, uh, those, those particular aspects of what attracted me to him the most, It sounds like you came to Maine in part, because you wanted to more, um, deeply learn about the Ys. Where are you originally from? I am, um, originally from little rock Arkansas, which is considered actually Southern like a Southern state, but, um, never really considered it Southern it's almost middle of the country, but as you can probably here, I probably really sound Southern. I mean, I don't sound like a lot of Mayers, but, um, I have been coming to Maine. I was born in little rock and, uh, was pretty much raised there. And in the mid nineties, I, um, after studying the WIAS and Winslow, Homer, Edward Hopper, Rockwell, Kent, all these representational artists that, that, um, that I admired, I, all of them had a connection with Maine. Some of 'em, you know, lived, lived here. Some of 'em had homes here, some of 'em just came and, and painted here, but I always loved their work from Maine. And I just, when I started studying their work and became interested in 'em, I just became interested in Maine. And back in the mid nineties, I just, I was like, I've got to go there and experience this place. And, um, and I'd love to do some paintings, you know, from, from that area. So that's primarily what drew me to Maine was studying the artists that painted here and, um, a lot, you know, I just never was able to, to, to actually come and live here and for the personal reasons. And, um, but I did visit quite often throughout the years. Um, and I would come take photographs, sketch, get as much subject matter as I could and go back to Arkansas and paint. And, um, and I have, I've had representation here in Maine, um, primarily in the mid coast area for, for 20 something years actually. So yeah, but I've never, I've never, I've never been here all year round. I've just, I've just had to make visits here in the past, but now it's full time and that's, it's, it's wonderful. I mean, I just love, although this is my first full winter gonna be my first full winter here. It's a, it's a little bit of a new experience for that, a little colder than, than Arkansas, but, but, um, it's gonna gimme getting me opportunities to actually do some winter things from here and not just all summer and which I'm looking forward to. Actually, One of the reasons that we're doing this remotely is because we actually are having a winter day. And so trying to travel obviously is a bit of an issue. And, uh, people who are listening closely can probably hear some of the precipitation on our roof over here. I don't think we're hearing much from over on your roof, but, um, but it's good to hear that you actually are coming to some sense of, uh, at least acceptance regarding the weather considering that Arkansas has a very different climate. I love the wintertime also. Um, but there is nothing like the spring and summer in Maine. I mean, Y you can, I don't care how bad the winter gets. It's what you know, or how long it is. It's worth those, those months that you get in the spring and summer. Just, um, mainly, I mean, I, I, I love the light that, that, that you get in the spring and summer here in Maine. It's just like no other light that I've seen elsewhere. It's amazing. And I love to paint it. I mean, of course, like so many other artists, they love to, to paint light, uh, how it falls on a wall or just on foliage in the woods. I mean, it's just amazing light here. It's like no other, there's a clarity to it that, um, that I haven't seen anywhere else, actually. Exactly. Tell me about your connection to Monhegan. When, what was it about Monhegan? Is it simply because it's something that's always drawn artists or was there something special about, um, this island off the coast of Maine? Well, once again, it goes back to, uh, the connection with the artists that have, have always painted there or have painted there in the past, I should say. Um, I just was really intrigued with the paintings that I saw from, um, from Jamie w uh, and now Andrew very rarely traveled to monegan. Um, but Jamie, his son painted a lot on Monhegan that actually has a house there. Um, Rockwell Kent's old house, Jamie lives on, which is actually the painting you have behind you. Jamie wise house is like within a stones throw of that painting that I have behind you. Uh, that's that's, it's called lobster Cove and, uh, Jamie's house faces out to see right by that painting. Um, he's actually done a painting, um, from, from, from a different angle of that exact, uh, lifeline that that's, that I've represented there. But, um, it's probably just because of the artists, um, that I admire their paintings from Monhegan. And, um, I wanted to go there and experience it, and I fell in love with it. Uh, and I, you know, I've produced quite a few paintings and drawings from monegan. I've actually still got a lot of subject matter from monegan that I've yet to get to. Um, so, um, there's something about Mohegan too, that just, uh, although it is a big tourist attraction now, it's just a, it's basically a fishing and lobster village. And, um, it's just kind of stepping back in time. Um, everything slows down on GaN, and I love that. I love that you're just kind of outta touch and, and for me, and for, for, for any artist that goes there, you're just totally surrounded by, by possible paintings everywhere. Um, and that, you know, that actually is what I love about Maine is whenever I get in, in my vehicle and I go for a drive or I go for my, you know, hour long walk, um, it's always like, there's a possible painting down around the next corner, you know, peeking, you know, like, I, I'm always, like if I'm, if I'm walking, I'm always looking down these long driveways, um, that they go through the woods because I mean, there's, there's just a possible painting, right. Anywhere, anywhere I go or look. And, um, that's something that's always intrigued me about Maine, particularly when I, when I go for a drive and I'm just like, kind of open for, and, and being receptive for anything to hit me to paint. Um, um, sometimes it's just like sensory overload though here. And when I've been away from Maine, um, in the past, and I would get here, it was like, it was total sensory overload. I mean, I would've to like slow down. Okay. You know, because I would have, I would just on my was, come on a painting everywhere I went. I mean, it was, it's just amazing. It's just a wonderful place. That's an interesting comment because I think many people think of Maine as a place where they, um, allow their senses to rest. I think a lot of people arrive over the bridge from New Hampshire into Maine, and they feel a sense of release and quiet and peace. But as an artist and someone who spends his life really focusing on images, I can see how that would have the opposite effect. I, I I've just had episodes where I've just had to, you know, forcibly like calm down, just calm down. Um, there's plenty of time, you know, you can come back to this, you don't have to get it right now. Um, you know, it's gonna be here, but some things are fleeting though. I mean, some, some, some images you come on, you, you have to, you have to get at that moment because you'll never get another opportunity. And I don't actually do a lot of, uh, plan, air type work where I'm actually out in the field like painting. Um, I do some with water because it's, it's an immediate type of, uh, medium, you know, you can, you can put it down quickly and there's not a lot of preparatory work. Um, but with egg temporal oil and acrylic, I prefer to, to lock myself in the studio and work on those images, you know, in the studio. But I do use sketches, you know, a sketchbook. I do use, uh, my camera. I take it with me a lot. And, um, I do do take a lot of reference images, um, to work from. And, and, you know, you, you, you just, like I said, some images you have to capture right then and there, they're not gonna be, you're not gonna get another opportunity. So that's why I try to, um, have a way to do that. Um, to always capture something that I see that I want to get, that I feel like will never, I'll never get another opportunity When you were growing up. Did you have, um, did your family members encourage you to get into art? I would say when I was in high school, probably me, the, I had a high school teacher that was a, a big influence of mine. So, um, I also played sports. I was a football player, so my I'm getting to my family thing here in a roundabout way. But, um, so I was into athletics, also football, but I also had this artistic side. And, um, I don't think my father really understood my artistic side so much. He, he, not that he discouraged it, but I think he would've rather gone on and played sports at a higher level, which I, when I got to college, I decided to study art instead of football started, you know, instead of going on and playing football, which I had opportunities to do, but I chose to, to, um, go art with the art side of me. So I, I, I don't think I got a lot of encouragement art wise. Um, my mom was always very supportive of me either way. Um, as I think most of, most of my others are. I mean, you know, my dad had a little bit more trouble with the, with the artistic side and, uh, he just enjoyed the sports and football so much, but, um, I, they weren't, and all my siblings were supportive of me, but, um, uh, it, it, it wasn't particularly an artistic family. So I was kind of on my own, you know, I kind of forged my own path there, which was, um, which was okay, which is fine. I, I have, um, I have a brother and two sisters, so come from a family of, for, so we all have, you know, done different things and that's fine. And that's, there's nothing wrong with that. Did your father play football himself or did your brother or sisters play football or play sports? Oh, uh, no, my, my dad did some when he was young. Um, uh, my brother who's now, my brother is a, a, a physician, a family physician. And, um, he did play football. He was two years younger than me. And, uh, he also played football, um, and, uh, he was into sports, but he had offers to play two, but he chose to go to medical school and be a doctor. So, um, so he, he kind of went another way also, but, um, everybo everyone in my family's been very encouraging of, of my artistic, uh, endeavors, I would say, Well, please, as a fellow family physician, please do give my regards to your brother because it actually is a very special and important, um, work that he is doing right now. And certainly one that is not very easy. So we're lucky to have him doing that out there He is. Um, um, he's my brother and I'm so proud of him. I mean, he's just, I think he's a phenomenal physician, um, kind of from the old, old school physician. I mean, he, he does a little bit of everything I think. Um, and he works with a lot of, uh, rural like farmers and things like that, cuz his, the area that he's in, in Arkansas, he has a lot of, uh, people that come in from, from that farm and things like that. So, uh, he's just, he's just a good guy and a good doctor. I, I think I can relate a little bit because even though I practice in Maine, we also have a fair number of patients who come from rural parts of the state and, um, I'm, I'm actually doing, uh, distance based doctoral studies through the university of Arkansas. So it's been very interesting for me to, uh, be working with people who are from a very different part of the country. And it's a, it, I think the culture that you grow up in, um, for you, it was Arkansas. I mean, it really does influence your life in a way that you probably don't recognize while you're growing up. I would agree. I would agree. That's in interesting. That's pretty cool that you you're working with, um, with, uh, some bridge from the, from the medical, from university of Arkansas, the medical, Um, I'm doing actually the, the doctoral program I'm doing is the university of central Arkansas. So we're doing it mostly with teachers, but it's a community based leadership program. So that's, that's even more interesting because I get to work with people not only from Arkansas, which is very different than Maine, but also people who are nothing like me. So Yeah. Yeah. Arkansas's a, it's, it's a great state. Um, the people are warm and friendly and so are the people here in Kittery in Maine? I mean, it it's, I mean, it, it's kind of the same thing. It's, uh, it's just different accents, you know, basically, but, uh, Arkansas, um, is, is, I mean it is a, it's a, it's a great state and, um, I've always loved living here in Arkansas, but for some reason I have just had this infatuation with new England. And, um, I think a lot of that did start, um, when I started studying the Ys and, um, you know, the other artists that, that worked here in, in Maine and, uh, um, but I also love the architecture, the new England architecture, uh, the clapboard houses, um, something, something just really drew me to that, that style of architecture. Um, I loved, I, I, even though I don't have anything, you know, behind me or, but are you, are you have anything on the wall there? I do do incorporate a lot of like the white clapboard houses, new England houses. And, um, I just get the biggest for real out of painting the light. It falls across the, the new England Cape style houses, the clapboard houses, um, the windows in these houses. I, I, I just get, I just love to paint the way light hits those houses. I, um, and, uh, that's one of the things I, that attracted me to new England was, was the, uh, simplicity, simplicity of the architecture, the early architecture I'm talking about and, um, that, that style of house. Um, and I would also say that something that interests me about new England too, was the kind of the birth of our country in that area, in this area, you know, um, that's really kind of interested me too, like, this is where this is where, you know, the area that the country began and, um, just always kind of interested me and, and I always wanted to just, um, be a part of that for some reason, not that I'm shunning Arkansas or anything, but I've always, I've always had this interest since I started, you know, really in college basically studying the artists that I liked about, um, really being a part of this part of the country, where, where we all began, where it began. And, um, I don't know. It's just, um, it's taken me a while to get here, to actually live here, but, uh, um, you know, it's sometimes things take a while to, to mature and, uh, I'm just glad I'm, I'm able to get here now. And I've, I've got hopefully enough time to, to produce a lot more work from this area. So You're very lucky to have you here in Maine. And I encouraged people who want to learn more about James Bonner or his art to go to the Portland art gallery in Portland or to the Portland art gallery website. Also come to one of the openings at the Portland art gallery. And perhaps you will meet James there. It's certainly been a pleasure for me to get to know you today. James, thank you for joining me. Well, thank you, Lisa. It's been a pleasure. Um, being a part of this today, I'm not gonna lie. I was, I've been a little bit nervous about this. This is a little bit out, not real, but, um, um, it's been a, it has been a pleasure though. Well, you did a great job. Well, thank you. Thank you.