Bonnie Levinson is a multi-disciplinary artist whose creative process spans painting, collage, mixed media, and multi-image photography. She describes her art as a fusion of subconscious exploration and the atmospheric qualities of place, striving to merge control and accident within her work. Levinson’s approach to art is deeply personal and rooted in her internal experience, which she translates into visual forms. Through her creative practice, she embraces resistance, allowing it to guide her toward beauty. For Levinson, each piece is more than just a work of art—it’s a portal into the unknown, a space where she can meditate and channel her years of visual experience.
In her piece titled The Keys to Light (2022), Levinson uses acrylic on canvas to express her impressions of natural environments. This large-scale work, measuring 72 by 60 inches, reflects her personal journey of transformation after moving to Florida. The colors, light, and textures of her new surroundings play a crucial role in shaping her artistic vision. Levinson explains that her work is not just about replicating the world around her but about interpreting it on a subconscious level. The creative process becomes a way for her to enter a meditative state where she can balance her impulses with the natural flow of creation. The intersection of the known and unknown in this painting invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences with change and adaptation.
The influence of place is a recurring theme in Levinson’s work. Her painting Mapping Adventure (2022) demonstrates how she connects with her environment on a spiritual, emotional, and physical level. Measuring 48 by 60 inches, this acrylic painting radiates a sense of freedom and exploration. Levinson explains that when she begins a painting, she closes her eyes and absorbs the energy around her, allowing intuition to guide her hand rather than overthinking the process. The colors she chooses—greens and blues to evoke nature and balance, oranges and yellows for optimism, and reds and purples for vitality—reflect her internal response to space and memory. The painting becomes a map of her emotional landscape, capturing moments of joy, adventure, and spontaneity.
Levinson’s ability to blend the personal with the universal is evident in Into the Atmosphere (2023), a mixed-media piece that incorporates acrylic paint, collage, pencil, and gold leaf on canvas. In this work, Levinson explores the concept of the Earth’s atmosphere as a protective bubble, much like the creative space in which she finds solace. The painting takes viewers on a journey outward, into the vast unknown, while simultaneously drawing attention to the fragility of the world beneath our feet. Levinson’s process in creating this piece mirrors her understanding of the atmosphere—it surrounds and protects, offering a safe space for reflection and growth. This work asks viewers to consider the delicate balance between protection and vulnerability, both in the physical world and in the realm of creativity.
What makes Levinson’s approach unique is her dedication to using art as a means of entering a deeper, meditative state. She is less concerned with perfection and more focused on the act of creation itself, which she sees as a way to explore the subconscious. Levinson’s paintings, collages, and mixed-media pieces are an expression of this journey, where the end result is less important than the process. Her balance of control and accident allows her work to evolve organically, reflecting the complexities of life and the emotions that come with it.
Levinson’s creative approach is rooted in her belief that art is a form of transmutation—a way to take something intangible, like emotion or memory, and transform it into something visual and tangible. This is evident in works like The Keys to Light and Mapping Adventure, where her experiences in specific environments shape the colors, forms, and textures she uses. In these pieces, she channels her inner world into visual compositions that invite viewers to embark on their own journey of self-reflection.
The role of intuition in Levinson’s work cannot be overstated. Her use of color, for example, is deeply symbolic and reflects her emotional state during the creative process. Blues and greens signify her connection to nature and the sense of harmony she derives from it, while oranges and yellows express optimism and enthusiasm. The vibrant reds and purples she incorporates into her paintings bring a sense of vitality and spontaneity, reminding viewers of the energy and unpredictability of life. This intuitive use of color allows Levinson to communicate emotions that words cannot fully capture.
For Levinson, the creative process is a way of confronting and embracing resistance. Rather than avoiding obstacles, she sees them as an integral part of her journey toward creating beauty. This philosophy informs her entire body of work, from her large-scale paintings to her mixed-media compositions. Each piece is a reflection of Levinson’s ongoing exploration of herself and the world around her, a balance between the intentional and the accidental, the controlled and the free.
Whether through paint, collage, or photography, Levinson seeks to create pieces that transcend the ordinary and take viewers into a space of contemplation and introspection. Through her art, she invites us to reflect on our relationship with the world and our place within it, offering a glimpse into the complex interplay between the seen and unseen.
Bonnie Levinson’s art offers more than just visual appeal; it serves as a reminder of the power of place, memory, and emotion in shaping our creative selves. Her work, a blend of control and spontaneity, invites us to explore the unknown and to find beauty in the journey, wherever it may lead.
