Artist Focus: Bonnie Sheckter

Bonnie Sheckter’s artistic interest lies in isolating candid and complex moments, inviting the viewer to engage with her subjects and contemplate their stories. “Portraiture holds a world of fascination for me as I strive to capture unique moments that give narrative to our emotional complexity and humanity,” explains Sheckter. “My body of work explores sociological and political themes as well as focusing on portraits in which facial expressions and body language create intensely emotive and evocative images, where intangible feelings emerge with a visible resonance.”

Bonnie Sheckter, February Child, colored pencil on drafting film, 18 x 14 in.

A former printmaker, Sheckter has now been drawing with colored pencil for over 25 years. “I love this medium’s wonderful capabilities for capturing subtle nuances, luminous build-up of color, and a liberating sense of spontaneity,” she says, adding that she has adapted her drawing approach and developed several new techniques to compensate for some vision loss she has experienced in recent years. “I feel so thankful that instead of deterring me, this potential obstacle has given me renewed impetus to immerse myself in the joy of creating highly realistic detail and intricate textures,” the artist shares. “With each drawing, my technique and understanding of my medium improves, and I remain undeterred in my conviction of the life-giving power of art to heal and uplift.” —