We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chris Bonno a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Chris with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I get my work ethic from my father who told me, “Always keep your hands busy”. He worked as an industrial motor repairman fixing large motors for numerous industrial company clients at his family company. As a kid, I once got to drive with him to NASA when he was called in to pick up a large stator to repair for their special elevator (that carried the moon rocks at one point).
I had jobs working for my maternal grandparents’ grocery store in Houston, Texas as a teen, as well as working for my father’s little motor winding company in our garage and later worked at a print shop through summers while in high school.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I LOVE drawing, scribbling, making myself and others laugh with my art or making folks do that quiet gasp when they see a piece filled with tight detail when I capture a likeness.
I do many freelance jobs as a fine artist, painting portraits and work as a freelance illustrator for various publications, do some character design for independent cartoon companies and more. My art has been referred to as “Art of Whimsy” and if you type my name and “art of whimsy” you’ll see an article on me done a few years ago. There are several nods online about my work from different eras of time and now this one. Thanks for that.
I also do comedy, stand-up, and improvisation professionally in clubs all across the country as a feature act (and the occasional headline gig). I’ve been in “nightly working” improv comedy groups; (the group “The Laff Staff” that my comedy partner Angela Davis and I created) and doing sketch at the legendary Esther’s Follies in Austin, Texas before moving out to LA. As well as in numerous groups in Los Angeles one being in the house improv group “The Fugitives” for awhile at the Melrose/Hollywood Improv.
I’ve recently started an art print website store for my various styles of art at www.chrisbonnoart.com. I love taking the challenge of painting an accurate likeness of my clients or their friends or families, as well as sketching my whims and notions.
Many folks in the comedy and film community have supported this habit, requesting modest size pieces as well as huge works for their foyers. I’ve covered many varied subjects of my clients’ choosing, for the walls of their homes, from treasured family photographs, photo sessions I may do with them or pictures of celebrities they’ve always wanted a painting of. Producers, writers, stand-ups and folks of many different occupations and interests have requested commissions or purchased pieces seen at some of my gallery showings. For a bit, my artwork appeared on several tv shows including Caroline in the City and The Gilmore Girls. I’m currently painting flowers and martinis while drawing and painting characters, toons, imaginary scenarios, fun notions and such, as well. Some are on my art website. www.chrisbonnoart.com which has numerous categories of styles of work featured there.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three qualities that come to mind that I believe help when making art, are patience, refinement, and joy. They all add up to fueling creations with integrity, a connection to the subjects and attention to the vision of the desired result. Having FUN helps. (Also, curiosity). I also believe flexibility is a great tool. That and silliness. Definitely having a personal connection to the work is of great value, when combined with techniques that get the result you’d like. Be open to trying different techniques that you might not have tried, if they get you to the desired result. I will pull out a ruler if necessary, buy paper that I can use as a mask if I want to preserve one area while painting a nuance near it… etc.
Always keep being curious and learning. Take in as much art in person as you can and definitely dive into the web to find artists you’ve never seen before. Currently, instagram is a great place to go to discover talent I’ve never seen and get inspired by their creativity or volume of work. There are so many cool techniques to be discovered there. The subjects and styles are limitless.
One habit that feels like a crutch, is any kind of tracing, especially when painting a likeness. I want the work to be imbued with originality, from my effort to paint what I see. Especially if I’m using a photo reference. The expressiveness or expressive quality comes through when doing the right side of the brain method (ostensibly painting the image upside down. However, I have on occasion, used a light board tracing parts of my original works to refine them, more often than not, simply tracing something I’ve already drawn. It comes in handy if I have a deadline, have done a rough original sketch and want to transfer it to a board or paper. (I have looked into drawing and painting on my i-pad and it just hasn’t stuck yet). I’m a giant fan of practical painting.
For portraits, I try to NEVER trace as a rule (with occasional exceptions as mentioned before). I’ve found that the “drawing with the right side of the brain’”method is the best one I’ve used for making tight, accurate paintings from a reference photo. It forces me to see what’s in front of me clearly. If it’s a commission, a notion or replicating and refining an idea from my sketchbook, that method works fine.
However, I also draw all the time without using the upside down technique. I am a cartoonist at heart with a desire to paint (as well as some of the masters I revere) and do it quickly. It’s one of the main reasons I use Acrylic paint exclusively or occasional other water-based paints. They dry faster than oil paint with less of a chemical hit. I like getting relatively fast results that have the feel of an oil painting. Acrylic is my solution.
Advice for those en route to their goals, for folks on their journey, my advice is look at everything. Artists you “don’t get”, old masters, contemporary artists, cartoons, masterpieces, religious art, avant-garde stuff, pop art. Everything. Go outside and try to paint what you see! Try working with oil paint, acrylic, pencil, pen, ink, gouache, watercolor. Sculpt now and then. Definitely go SEE art. Get obsessed. Don’t forget to pay your bills! lol Sometimes that might be the hardest part. lol Make sure you get some kind of job to support you of course.
Speaking of which, collect your art heroes. Post their stuff on a bulletin board in your work space. See if you can get hired to assist a local artist. Contemporary ones. Relatively unknown ones who you artistically “connect” with. Write your heroes or folks online whose work you admire. If you want to do illustration, take a class in it, talk to working illustrators, ask them questions. Then get back to your favorite place to work and make, make, make! My final suggestions, always have a drawing tool, pen or pencil, handy and something to draw on. I’ve done some fun sketches to get out an idea on paper placemats at restaurants. HAVE FUN!
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?-
The biggest area of growth or improvement I’ve had in the past 12 months has been consistency. Spending time in the makeshift art studio in our spare room/office, painting and drawing daily, if not weekly. Also, I’ve been doing my best to pay attention to what my slowly burgeoning clientele and fans are interested in, what subjects/images they respond to. Ones that they might be more inclined to get and put in their homes. Currently it seems to be flowers. Pleasant calming imagery. So, I’m working on a new one that has already had an inquiry and it’s not even finished yet. I also, just got a new commission over the weekend for a portrait.
Of course, I’m also drawing up a storm in sketchbooks, creating characters, doing studies, making surreal or whimsical cartoon sketches . I’ve been more and more owning the fact that THIS is what I do. Now my mind is freed up to make whatever images I want, scribble, make a mess on the page, look for inspiration and relax, but with that sense of calm urgency. It’s happening daily. Even if a day almost ends and I haven’t drawn for one reason or another, I carry a sketch book with me from the studio to the tv room and scribble in it.
It seems the obstacle is getting the art out there and getting some traction. Folks can see newish pieces I’ve done on my chrisbonnoart.com website and on my chrisbonnoart instagram (the freshest stuff is on facebook usually before that.) and I’ve been building an audience composed of art AND comedy fans. My work is in the homes of some tv comedy celeb friends, producers, actors, improv and stand up comedians as well as those who’ve discovered my work from the facebook and instagram folks I’ve amassed online. A number of those folks have commissioned me or requested to buy a piece they see on either of those sites. Often folks will ask me to paint a “legacy” piece of a treasured family member. So I’m putting more new pieces up and keeping an eye on what folks are drawn to. I want them to take these home. Also, I keep challenging myself to do more. I want to start painting single trees on a series of canvases. I have a huge one I’m working on currently.
Getting the word out is the big deal for me now. Also, I’ll keep “throwing painting subject ideas at the wall” to test what the market is, what images people like and are drawn to, that can stand on their own. I have always been grateful for this pursuit and I do my best to practice gratitude for those who support my efforts as well as all of the folks in who’ve given me encouragement, who “get me” as both a comic and artist, heck just being valued as an artist would be fine! Especially if they hire me, collect my stuff or simply appreciate it.
Keep a look out. I’m planning on making an online show in the near future to explore many of the ideas I’ve shared here. Also, as well, I look to inviting guest artists and friends with a healthy sense of humor, some with skill and some who want simply to learn and have fun. (Of COURSE, stoic, mono-syllabic introverted artists will be welcome as guests as well. Hope to have some of my more well known artist friends on too.)
Now go get started! Be open to the voice that’s always giving you ideas for new work. …and scribble while you’re on the phone for me would you? Make it messy or repetitive. Let your subconscious draw on a spare piece of paper absentmindedly while you’re distracted and in the middle of a conversation, or while watching a tv show. After the call or streaming favorite is over, take a look. See what you’ve done. Find something cool in it.
Thanks for having me do this interview. It’s a great joy to share some art thoughts with you all. Now all that’s left is to find time to get back up on stage.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chrisbonnoart.com
- Instagram: chrisbonnoart
- Facebook: Chris Bonno Art
- Youtube: Just type in Chris Bonno in the search engine. acting stuff, my comedy interview show Electric Bonnoland is there and a few others documenting an art show or two.
Image Credits
All artwork by Chris Bonno
