Art Resources Gallery

Bonnie Hinz

"As an introvert, I enjoy the solitude of creating my artwork."   ~ Bonnie Hinz

What is your creative process?  My creative process typically starts with me sitting in our screen porch which is in a wooded area that overlooks a lake. It is a very quiet and reflective space that allows me to sketch, imagine, and be inspired by nature. I then translate my sketches into full-scale drawings and figure out the mechanics during the process. Next, I will cut, bend, and weld the metal to match the drawing. My final step is the glasswork which is either blown or fused depending upon the initial design. 

We are pleased to share our interview with local glass artist Bonnie Hinz. Bonnie's sculptures are whimsical and combine industrial metal with organic glass. The relationship between these two materials informs her nature-inspired pieces and provides her with endless compositions. From table-top sculptures to wall hangings, Bonnie's artisanship is a feast for the soul! 

How long have you been creating, and when did you decide to become an artist?  My creative path is different than most, as I found art later in life. I grew up always wanting to figure out how to make different things using clay, wood, fiber, and whatever else I could find. As I grew into adulthood, that creativity became lost as I tried to decide upon a “normal” career. I worked at a law firm for a few years, but quickly became bored, and started to yearn for some creativity. I decided on a career as an interior designer and pursued that for over 10 years. However, I again yearned for something more, unsure of what that exactly was. I then found a class at a local college for glass blowing and took it on a whim. I became hooked and then after much soul-searching, decided to transition from design to glass. At a later point, I added metalworking and kiln-formed glass to my designs.

Who influenced you the most to become an artist?   Initially, I became interested in glass blowing after attending an exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Art featuring Dale Chihuly. There were videos showing the glass blowing process, and I was very intrigued and thought it looked fun and dangerous, and I wanted to give it a try. This changed the course of my life. From Dale Chihuly, I also learned that you can take smaller elements and combine them into a fantastic larger artwork. As a woman, I knew that I didn’t have the physical strength to create really large blown glasswork, and realized the key was using smaller elements together to create the larger artwork that I was envisioning. The glass blowing team of Sabrina Knowles and Jenny Pohlman have also been an influence in two ways:  first that women can be successful glass blowers and artists, and again that you can combine glass and metal elements to create a unified large sculpture. I have also been influenced by the wonderfully swirly metalwork of Albert Paley.