We were lucky to catch up with Bonnie Zuckerman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Bonnie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?

I manage my own social media! I actually really enjoy posting to Instagram and using it. I have taught classes to other artists who are beginner users and don’t know how to get started on their social media. A lot of artists don’t realize you can get legitimate sales and commission projects based on what you post on instagram! I have sold quite a few piece to both friends and to complete strangers via posts they saw on Instagram of my pieces!

If you’re just starting out on social media, take great pictures, post as frequently as you can, and connect with other artists and makers–it can really open up possibilities for you!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am an artist working primarily in hand-painted ceramic. I use a wax resist technique I developed that creates a stained-glass effect on my pieces. One thing that sets me apart from other artists is that I paint designs on the back of my pieces as well! Basically if there’s a surface available, I’m covering it with as many designs as I can. I love seeing customers look at my pieces and then flip them over–their surprise and delight at the back of the piece is priceless!

I have been an artist my whole life and majored in Illustration in college–I am particularly drawn to nature and making things that are beautiful, spark the imagination, and reflect my love of nature. I am most proud of some of the vases I have painted in the last year–it is so rare that a piece turns out exactly as you pictured it in your head at the start of the project, and these came out just as I imagined them. They are over-the-top and I just want to keep looking at them!

I continually try to evolve my style, images, and technique–I am always trying to learn new things, experimenting with new images or ways to assemble designs, and expanding my knowledge of ceramics. I came to ceramics later as an adult, as I was always a two-dimensional artist. Painting on a 3-dimensional surface has some unique challenges but also a different kind of impact. My pieces also straddle the place between functional and purely decorative–they are a bit of both and it’s up to each customer which way they choose to use them.

I love to incorporate repetition to create kaleidoscopic designs in my work and also love exploring the patterns created in the negative space of my designs. My favorite pieces to paint are plates, bowls, vases, ornaments, cups and saucers, but also have done candlesticks, masks, and goblets. Lately I have been painting a lot of pieces with images of songbirds, insects, fish, whales, parrots, fruit, and plants/flowers. I have so many images in my head just waiting to get out onto a piece!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, there are two really rewarding parts to being a creative. The first is creating the work itself. For me, this is pure joy to bring my idea to life and watch it evolve. I have always enjoyed painting and as I see the image unfold and sometimes take on a life or qualities of its own, it is so satisfying–kind of a magical experience. Painting repetitive images can also be quite meditative and being able to embrace that state of flow is like nothing else on earth!

The second rewarding part is sharing my art with others! I love seeing someone pick up a piece and have it speak to them. It feels so good to have someone drawn to something I’ve created, especially to a piece that really resonated with me. It is like a common language through art–I think this is universal.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I had started listening to artist talks from other artists much earlier in my journey. I have gleaned so many great pieces of advice from other artists! This has included techniques, ways to get ideas, business advice, and philosophy/approach. Now there are so many free artist lectures and events that are virtual too, so you can access them anytime!

One piece of advice that stuck with me was from a Zoom artist talk I attended during the pandemic–it was a ceramic artist who was sharing that if you haven’t put a few experimental pieces/potential failures in each kiln load, you’re not doing it right! This really resonated with me. You have to be constantly trying new things or your work will get stale…and your repeat customers want to see new and exciting things from you. So I always try to do a couple of pieces per batch that I have no idea how they’ll turn out. I also push myself by continuing to take classes in unfamiliar artistic techniques, both ceramic and otherwise–you never know where you’ll get a new idea.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bakerartist.org/portfolios/bonnie-zuckerman
• Instagram: bonnie.zuckerman

Image Credits
Kayla Blasher (my headshot photo only)