Bonnie Halsey-Dutton

About:

I paint in two different series of artwork. Through one series, I paint regional landscapes that depict my life experiences while living in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I also paint landscapes that are inspired by locations that I have witnessed through global travel. My second series of artwork examines the historical past and how it continues to impact the present. Within this series, I frequently employ antique trade beads as a metaphor for humankind’s complex cultural interaction and interconnection. Miniature artworks in themselves, antique beads are physical objects that once served as a form of international currency, and they remain as a testament to humankind’s geographic movement over time. Throughout human history, barter between cultures involved currency such as spices, textiles, weaponry, and sadly other human beings. Many of these centuries-old practices continue today. My examination of global trade does not justify these human practices. Instead, I strive to challenge thought about cultural and global interconnection.

Regardless of medium my art contains numerous layers of vivid color. My watercolor paintings are rendered as traditional watercolor on paper, and I also render them on Ampersand Archival Claybord. When painting on claybord, a glossy permanent varnish is applied to the surface, allowing the watercolor paintings to be displayed without glass. I also paint in oil.

I am a professional artist as well as fine arts educator. I hold a PhD in Art History and Education from the University of Arizona with an emphasis in Art and Visual Culture. I exhibit my paintings and I teach art both nationally and internationally. The workshops that I lead encourage creative risk-taking through use of multimodality.

I maintain a downtown Spearfish South Dakota artist studio and gallery at Artifacts Antiques and Art. (740 N. Main Street, Spearfish, SD 57783)  My paintings are represented by Prairie Edge Gallery in Rapid City, SD, and I am an instructor for The Art in the Algarve School in Olhão as well as through my downtown studio in Spearfish. Course descriptions are found on my website: https://www.bonniehalseydutton.com.  My full resume is also available on my website. Additionally, my website includes an extensive collection of images and descriptions about my artwork in a blog that I write about my artistic undertakings. I conduct workshops and lead art making events, and interested persons can sign up for my newsletter through on my website.