Bio
Known for her mystical realism, Canadian artist Bonnie Hamlin creates powerful paintings of her equine subjects. The time Hamlin spends working with, sketching and riding her own horses is apparent in the accurate handling of her equine subject’s anatomy and expressions.
Hamlin's knowledge of art is a life-long learning experience as she continues to add to her extensive library of art books (and more recently DVDs). She has attended workshops with international artists, Zolton Szabo, Clarence Tillenius, John Banovich, Marc Hanson and Greg Beecham. She studied Art appreciation at the University of British Columbia (1964), attended the Forum Art Institute in Winnipeg (1970) and obtained a BA from the University of Manitoba (1996).
In 2007 she was accepted (as one of 300 artist world-wide) into the International Guild of Realism Art and was part of the Guild’s museum tour from 2008 to 2011. In 2013 Hamlin was awarded signature status in the Institute of Equine Artists (formerly International Equine Artists) and participated in the Institute’s 2014 show in the El Paso, TX Museum of Art. Bonnie Hamlin has also participated in numerous group and one person shows. She is also a member of the Portrait Society of America, and Oil Painters of America.
Hamlin's extensive art knowledge base is evident in the depth, mood and movement in her paintings and the life she brings to her subjects. Hamlin’s studio is on the ranch she shares with her husband, four horses, four cats and one dog, in Manitoba’s Interlake District.
Statement
"I love doing action paintings, the feeling of power and grace, like choreographing a dance routine. When I design a painting; I do random sketches from my imagination then I go to my subject(s) where I sketch and do paint studies from life (when possible), as well as take hundreds of photos, and refer to equine anatomy books. If I’m painting from my imagination I’ll make frequent trips to our corals to just run my hand over one of my horse’s muscles or to stand and watch them move. If it is a commission work, I’ll often need to travel to where my subject is.
My goal is to always show the emotion, the power of the animal, the joy of the handler, etc. I'm often asked how long it takes me to do a painting. It's hard for me to give an accurate answer as each painting is unique and has its own challenges. So basically anywhere from one week to 2 to 3 months (I can do little landscape studies in an afternoon, but most of my paintings are more challenging and take more time). I do spend a lot of time designing the painting and getting the image clear in my head before I start to paint and the more time I take planning usually the quicker the actual painting goes.
Studio
There are usually twenty or more paintings in my studio and some samples of commissioned work available. I started working in oils, but then spent many years working in watercolours and then acrylics, finally returning to oils. I have also spent time studying different aspects of painting, abstract, floral, still life, portrait, landscape, etc. I've now come full circle and back painting horses in oils. But I do find that the time spent studying each of the mediums and disciplines benefits the work I'm doing now.
I've often been described as an incurable romantic.
Memberships
2013 awarded signature status in the International Equine Artists
2007 accepted into the International Guild of Realism Artists
Oil Painters of America
Portrait Society of America
Landscape Artists International
Canadian Artists Representatives (CARFAC) since 1985
Winnipeg Sketch Club accepted in 1972
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