Bonnie Holmes

A native Californian, my artistic talent was encouraged at a very young age by both of my parents.  My father, who has always been an ardent admirer of beautiful design and art, expresses his artistic talent in wood, having made most of the furniture in his home.  My mother was an accomplished technical illustrator who used to admire the 'freedom' I expressed in my early watercolors.

Art became my primary pursuit throughout school and undergraduate years in college.  Winning scholarships to attend Otis Art Institute and the then Chouinard Art School in Los Angeles for three different semesters reinforced my love for the pursuit of fine art.

Up until the early 1990's, my focus was figurative work with the occasional still life.  Everything changed when I married and my husband,  introduced me to fly-fishing.  Having been a city-girl, I was overwhelmed with the beauty surrounding me in the great outdoors.  The light, shadows, atmospheric effects of weather and the moment-to-moment changes in each hour of the day presented an altogether new set of challenges and, thus, 'the landscape' has become my "world" and focus in painting.

Since the mid-1990's, when I was first introduced to plein air painting by Milford Zornes, I have continued my education through many workshops in the West and Northwest, with many notable instructors.  Mentoring has also been an important part of my artistic

growth, both through art club memberships and along with my "painting" friends.

I now make my home in beautiful Lincoln, MT.