![\"l3\"](\"http:\/\/journal.bohemiantraders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/L3-9-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a>27-year-old Bonnie Gray is Mother Theresa with a paintbrush. A self-taught illustrator who uses the money from her art to literally help homeless people off the street, Bonnie\u2019s vibrancy could put a rainbow to shame. Describing herself as a \u2018scientist of colour\u2019, Bonnie humbly admitted she only bought her first canvas last year as an experiment. Her paintings are now commissioned worldwide. It was a privilege to glimpse into Bonnie\u2019s colourful world and talk about \u2018friending colours\u2019, not caring what people think and her fetish for shoes that share a story and scream adventure.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
JO: What are you working on at the moment?<\/p>\n BG: I\u2019m working on some purses for The Bigger Picture Project. So once every three months I collaborate with a small business \u2014 someone who\u2019s \u2018up and coming.\u2019 Last time I worked with @ragamuffin_jewellery and she was just starting out. So we did her jewellery and I did the purses. This time round I\u2019m painting leather purses made by a girl called Jodie.<\/p>\n JO: The bigger picture project supports homelessness on the central coast is that right?<\/p>\n BG: Yeah there\u2019s a shelter [for the homeless] in Gosford and a couple I know, Mel and Matt Hope, who hang out there Wednesday nights. Pretty much it feels like Christmas because they get a lot of food donations and have heaps of volunteers handing out food. But for Matt and Mel, they\u2019re really intentional about being \u2018mum\u2019s and dad\u2019s\u2019 to people who haven\u2019t had that and helping them to court cases and getting them off the street into homes. So the money we made last time for The Bigger Picture Project paid for a brand new fridge for a guy who\u2019d never lived in a home before. They also bought new utensils, a microwave, and all this stuff for him to get setup. So now he\u2019s not on the streets and he\u2019s living life again in his own little crib, which is really cool.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n JO: I\u2019ve got to be honest I didn\u2019t realise homelessness was such a big issue on the Central Coast\u2026<\/p>\n BG: Yeah, it\u2019s massive, especially in Gosford. I don\u2019t know the stats, but a lot of people are sleeping on the streets every night.<\/p>\n JO: Well your arts doing a really good thing then. How did you get started as an artist? \u2026 I mean illustrator, you call yourself an illustrator, right?<\/p>\n BG: I started off doing illustration and a lot of watercolour, very childlike things. Then after a while I bought my first canvas, I think it was last year, and had a play with acrylics and I posted it on Instagram and people were like: \u2018oh my gosh, I want one of those!\u2019 So from there I\u2019ve just been experimenting. I feel like canvas is\u2026I just love it. I feel like I\u2019ve found more love for it then illustration\u2026I love doing abstract. It\u2019s more freeing.<\/p>\n JO: I heard you describing a concept earlier called \u2018friending colours\u2019. Tell me more about that.<\/p>\n BG: Well I guess I feel like I\u2019m a scientist of colour\u2026So I\u2019m always experimenting with colour, just playing around. So if, for example, I go to a kid\u2019s party and I see sick streamers, like a really cool red and a different kind of blue with it. I\u2019ll think: \u2018that\u2019s a cool colour\u2019. Keep that in the back of my mind and then have a play with it later. It\u2019s just like best-friending colours. Like yellow and black or the flamingo pink and a turquoise looks cool together. It look very 90\u2019s or California, summery vibes. It\u2019s like fruit salad you just pick your fruit and your colours and then \u2018boom\u2019, it\u2019s a beautiful picture.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n JO: Do you think you have a photographic mind?…Are you constantly just taking in colours wherever you are?<\/p>\n BG: I think so. It feels like that. When I see two colours, or four colours that look sick I\u2019ll just put that away in my mind, or I also use a notebook. And as soon as I get home I\u2019ll have a play straight away and try and find the colour that I saw and put it down on scrap paper and then I\u2019ll use it for an artwork.<\/p>\n JO: So when do you think your art transitioned from just a creative hobby to a business?<\/p>\n BG: I think when I started off with art it was more of an enjoyment and me processing. It really helped me process my thoughts. I did song writing and a lot of my art has hidden words in it.<\/p>\n JO: Yeah I noticed that.<\/p>\n BG: Yeah I like to hide words. I feel like one thing that really stirred in my heart that I wanted to be the essence of my art, or to speak out of it, was the vibrancy and the joy, \u2018cause it brings me joy. And hope. While I paint I play with music and then my brain thinks of words. I try not to put on any music with lyrics and just use instrumental. I listen to a crew called Bethel a lot and it\u2019s a symphony. I also listen to the soundtrack from Pride and Prejudice, which sounds really crappy I know but it\u2019s really peaceful and beautiful. So the colours are playing, I\u2019m dancing with my paintbrushes [laughs] and then the music is playing and I start song writing through it. I think \u2018cause I\u2019ve always written poems so my brain is on high alert with lyrics. There\u2019s been moments where I do abstracts and I actually can see what I\u2019m painting, even though people probably wouldn\u2019t be able to get what\u2019s going on in that picture, and then I\u2019ll hide the words in it. I love it when I have emails like this one in particular I had off a client that was like: \u2018Hey I suffer with depression but every time I go through your feed [Instagram] it brings a joy and a hope.\u2019 And I\u2019m like: \u2018Yes!\u2019 \u2018Cause that\u2019s exactly the heart behind it all. And she asked me: \u2018Can you paint something that I can look at every single day.\u2019 And I got to hide heaps of different things in that work for her.<\/p>\n JO: You\u2019re creating colour therapy.<\/p>\n BG: Yes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n JO: Are most of your commissions local?<\/p>\n BG: They actually vary. I\u2019ve had a lot from Germany, a few clients from America. But mostly Sydney and Melbourne. I\u2019ve had a few people from Queensland. The Central Coast is really supportive as well, I get a lot of people buying stuff.<\/p>\n JO: That\u2019s cool. So you think the Central Coast supports working artists?<\/p>\n BG: Yeah I reckon they do.<\/p>\n JO: Speaking for myself, I love art and I think it\u2019s a real investment but I know that I don\u2019t go out and buy it all the time. Is that changing do you think?<\/p>\n BG: I think it comes down to people and personalities. Like in Sydney that\u2019s booming, it\u2019s really accepted and a lot of people that have money actually go: \u2018I wanna spend it on art or interior\u2019. So Sydney has a large demographic of people that are into that. On The Coast I know people are less inclined to. But also, I work in a retail interior store and sell my art there and I hear people ask: \u2018How much is that?\u2019 I notice there are lovers of art and then there are people that are like: \u2018Oh that\u2019s a cool colour.\u2019 You know what I mean? They don\u2019t actually get the process.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “It\u2019s like fruit salad you just pick your fruit and your colours and then \u2018boom\u2019, it\u2019s a beautiful picture.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n JO: So eventually would you like your art to be how you earn a living?<\/p>\n BG: It would be cool, \u2018cause at the moment I\u2019m doing a business course.<\/p>\n JO: Tell me about that.<\/p>\n BG: It\u2019s a NEIS program, it\u2019s all government funded and I come out with a Certificate IIII in business. I think \u2018cause it\u2019s not my strength I find doing all that stuff really intense. But then I can see that it adds a back spine to everything that I do. So I\u2019m thinking if I can nail that in a year and get it finished in time then it\u2019ll be a platform for the next couple of years. It hasn\u2019t been the greatest, but I kind of have to, it\u2019s called being an adult. [laughs]<\/p>\n JO: What\u2019s the hardest part about being your own boss?<\/p>\n BG: I think it\u2019s staying motivated, \u2018cause I like to juggle lots of different things. I can create and dream and do all that stuff, but now I\u2019ve slotted in the practical, to-do list stuff. It\u2019s just the paperwork. I hate it.<\/p>\n JO: Admin! [laughs]<\/p>\n BG: Admin! [laughs] Eventually you can actually hire someone to do that and I think down the track that\u2019ll happen, but for now I\u2019ve just got to do it and put that time aside and go one day and rock it out. But I think in the midst of it there are a few things I\u2019m learning as a boss: like to still fall in love with art every day, not as a \u2018oh I have to do this\u2019. If I think: \u2018I\u2019m ticking it off the list, I have to do this.\u2019 I wont paint, I\u2019ll get on my bike and go to the beach and just go for a dip and get my mind off it and then come back and go: \u2018oh my gosh what colours should I use?\u2019 And start thinking and dreaming again. \u2018Cause every client I\u2019m creating something for, I never want to just do it. I want there to be joy in the process.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Strappy Singlet in White<\/a> \/\/ Drop Crotch Pant in White<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n JO: When you were speaking about challenges earlier\u2026is it difficult to shut out what people think when you\u2019re using social media to display your art, especially when you might be experimenting with something.<\/p>\n BG: I never think about what people think.<\/p>\n JO: Good. Tick. [laughs]<\/p>\n BG: I think it\u2019s really damaging for people. I think it causes a lot of interruption with fear and it resists you from moving forward into anything new. You have to come at painting like a kid. So when a kid paints for their mum or dad, they\u2019re like: \u2018this is the best thing I\u2019ve ever done, look this is for you.\u2019 And of course the mum\u2019s going to say: \u2018that\u2019s amazing\u2019.<\/p>\n When I mentioned to you about that canvas over there\u2026I was experimenting with and realising that it was the most disgusting colour combination\u2026but I look at it and I know I would never do that again. I use it as a play canvas now. So I did a whole layer of white wash paint, so you can hardly see what\u2019s underneath and let it dry and then thought of another creative idea to put on top of that. I went through this process of doing eight different paintings on top of it. So once it was bright colours, another time it was mostly black with hidden blues in it, stuff that I would never put together. It\u2019s good to have a canvas that\u2019s not for anybody other than yourself. \u2018Cause I think a lot of people who try and paint on a canvas for the first time feel it\u2019s really hectic and don\u2019t know where to start<\/p>\n JO: All the white space is a bit daunting.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n White Boho Deep V Embroidered Top<\/a> \/\/ White Boyfriend Jean<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n BG: You have to start with one colour. Your favourite colour. Then start blending and playing. Its like play dough, you\u2019ve just got to keep playing. And you can fix it up. People think you cant, but when you\u2019re doing abstract you can.<\/p>\n JO: Who encourages you in your art?<\/p>\n BG: It\u2019s funny, \u2018cause I haven\u2019t really felt that encouraged in it. [laughs] I have dyslexia really badly and I went to a school in Canberra that was of quite a high academic calibre. And I don\u2019t have an academic bone in my body. [laughs] A lot of the time at school I would doodle, and sketch and draw and write. I think that\u2019s where my processing came from, just drawing and writing around my sketches. But I never really showed anybody. I think when I went to music school I felt like that helped me process a lot of stuff as well.<\/p>\n JO: How long were you studying song writing?<\/p>\n BG: I did that for a year. It was in the northern beaches, I was in a little granny flat, I had no TV or anything and I was going a bit insane so I bought a tray of watercolours from Big W and just started painting and YouTubing. I just wanted to learn something. But currently who encourages me\u2026it\u2019s my sisters a lot. I think \u2018cause we all process and chat and we\u2019re not intimidated. You know how some creatives can be that way with each other? We just have fun. We have no barriers, we\u2019re not threatened.<\/p>\n JO: So do you collaborate a lot with your sisters?<\/p>\n BG: We\u2019ve done one project when they had The Gray Girls. They went to Salvation Mountain in the desert. Have you heard of that?<\/p>\n JO: No.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n BG: You. Would. Love it. It\u2019s in Californian desert and this guy had property and he\u2019s painted all over it. I have to show it to you right now.<\/p>\n JO: Yeah show me. What was the project?<\/p>\n BG: Well with The Gray Girls they were going over buying garments and then coming back and doing shoots, but this one was called Salvation Mountain. It was really bright colours and they asked me to do some artwork for it. It was really cool there was cacti everywhere and then just desert all around this random rock full of colour.<\/p>\n JO: Yes I did see this! Incredible. I can see you living in a place like that one day\u2026where all the paths and walls and floor of buildings are painted with colour\u2026you should paint a city.<\/p>\n BG: That would be amazing.<\/p>\n JO: Could you imagine yourself painting wearable art?<\/p>\n BG: Yes! I\u2019ve actually got something really special in the pipeline. Some limited edition pieces.<\/p>\n JO: Ooh that sounds exciting. Look forward to that! What clothing do you feel good in?<\/p>\n BG: I like wearing high waisted jeans and old t-shirts. Not brand new t-shirts. I have these black boots that are my favourite things in the world and they\u2019re falling apart. I got them from Knotting Hill. I like things I have stories to. Like these painted converses I\u2019m wearing, they were actually my best mates and she gave them to me. I think I have that with all my shoes, they all have stories. When I went to New York I bought black Connies, \u2018cause I really wanted a pair of shoes from there. Then recently I went overseas and I thought \u2018I have to buy a really sick pair of shoes that have walked around France and done an adventure somewhere.\u2019 I like 90\u2019s overalls. Not the long ones, the short ones.<\/p>\n JO: Yeah you\u2019ve definitely got a 90\u2019s thing going on.<\/p>\n BG: I don\u2019t mind mixing styles. I love textures, like linens. And I love a mixture of colours and stripes. A bit of random I guess. I don\u2019t know what you\u2019d say that style is.<\/p>\n JO: It\u2019s Bonnie Gray.<\/p>\n![\"p4\"](\"http:\/\/journal.bohemiantraders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/P4-2-200x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Photography: Jozef Oldfield<\/strong>
\nWords: Jessica Oldfield<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"l6\"](\"http:\/\/journal.bohemiantraders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/L6-7-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a>Embroidered Boho Dress in Dusty Pink<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n![\"p2\"](\"http:\/\/journal.bohemiantraders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/P2-7-200x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Embroidered Boho Dress in Dusty Pink<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n![\"l5\"](\"http:\/\/journal.bohemiantraders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/L5-6-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a>Strappy Singlet in White<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n![\"l4\"](\"http:\/\/journal.bohemiantraders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/L4-8-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"p3\"](\"http:\/\/journal.bohemiantraders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/P3-3-200x300.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"l2\"](\"http:\/\/journal.bohemiantraders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/L2-8-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"p5\"](\"http:\/\/journal.bohemiantraders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/P5-200x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Strappy Singlet in White<\/a> \/\/ Drop Crotch Pant in White<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n![\"l1\"](\"http:\/\/journal.bohemiantraders.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/L1-9-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a>White Boho Deep V Embroidered Top<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n