Night Walks is an exhibition of acrylic paintings by Bonnie Smerdon. Created from
imagery gathered in landscapes at night, this work invites curiosity in the unknown and
to imagine beyond what is seen.
Informed by film photography and photo negatives, Smerdon paints using an inverted
color scheme. Through this palette, dark shadows become stark white and familiar
tones take on a sinister guise. Bonnie gathers imagery for her work on neighborhood
walks, long distance bike tours and ventures into the backcountry. Working with texture,
Bonnie incorporates additives to the paint such as fiber paste, ground tire rubber and
calcium carbonate. This layered surface casts small shadows and mimics the texture
and complexity of foliage.
Using specific lighting environments, each painting pushes everyday settings towards
the uncanny or bizarre. Lighting is achieved through the use of headlamps, flash
photography, and scenes in nature at dawn or dusk. This work holds tension between
beauty and unease while examining the pressure facing ecological systems. By
representing her surroundings, Bonnie aims to provide space for empathy and wonder
as it relates to the natural world.