One day last month, a friend of mine sent out an email from Bangkok.

He was on his way elsewhere, and wanted to include thanks and farewells to some of his friends in Bali, one of whom was Elsha, this month’s Featured Artist.

Above left: Barbie Spellbinder – Code Blue (Barbie doll, wire, found objects)

Above right: Barbie Spellbinder – Neither Here Or There” (Barbie doll, found objects, newspaper)

And now I’m happy to be able to say that Elsha has just come back here to Hawaii from living in Bali for a year.

I looked her up and loved her work – it’s so fresh it’s almost rude; I like how out loud it is with the bright colors and powerful visual commentary without any verbal cues.

I like it because it’s 3-D and very in-your-face, yet it’s really not rude at all – it’s more fascinating than rude.

I asked Elsha to send me info on herself, and I know you’ll be amused and inspired with what she sent – aren’t we all just dead tired of boring resumes and bios?

<<< Left: How I Plan to  Protect Myself

Here’s a great way to get your character across! Read and be inspired!

ELSHA BOHNERT: Trash Artist

Style: Funky, off-kilter Trash Art.  With no formal degrees to back me up, I can’t take myself too seriously.

Plus, I’m at the mercy of whether or not my Inner 5-Year-Old will come out and play.

Key Theme: Permission to do things any which way it works.

<<< Left: Wicked Witch Shoe (Shoe, found objects, guitar tuning keys, newspaper, silk)

Inspiration:
1. Children’s art, Jean Michel Basquiat, Cy Twombly.

2. I like to study images I find on Google of anatomical drawings, cave art, graffiti, exotic costumes, hieroglyphics…

Plus body paintings, facial expressions, recycled art, or whatever else I’m interested in at the moment.

3. I ask myself questions like…

• What would I look like if I were god?  Or a demon?  A chair?  A rabid dog?  A saint?
• What is the most unlikely thing to add to a shoe?  Or a table?
• What do I need to add or take away to make the piece go “Whoa!”
• How can I scare myself?

Above: Tales Of Love & War (Painted shoes, chains, screws)

Favorite Materials: Machine parts, old clothes, dolls, ordinary household implements, found objects.

Biggest Challenge: Lack of technical skills and right tools, but that, in turn, pushes me to find ways to jury-rig things together and, as such, deal perfection the deadly blow it needs.

Above left: Barbie Spellbinder – Oracle (Barbie doll, grill, found objects)

Above right: Barbie Spellbinder – Global Heat (Barbie doll, machine parts, red silk, found objects)

Biggest Embarrassment: Having lots of unfinished work.  But after an artist, whose work I admire, bought one of my unfinished pieces as is, I decided to specialize in “Unfinished Art.”

Biggest Indulgence: Purchasing expensive Posca acrylic markers in all available colors, and not just one pen of each color, but two!

Above left: Rust In Peace Shoe (Shoe, rusted machine parts)

Above right: Stock Market Shoe (Shoe, machine parts, newspaper, found objects)

Biggest Surprise: When my “Karma Babies” show of recycled dolls caused a big controversy and the gallery was threatened with a boycott.  Huh?  They’re just dolls!

Above: The Desire To Enshrine (4 mannequins, painted & gussied up)

Best advice:

• Don’t think.  Work blindfolded or in the dark.
• Women, remember: We rule!
• “Paint as you like and die happy” – Henry Miller

Above left: Empty Mind (Buddha head, faucet, screws – front view);

Above right: Empty Mind (Buddha head with faucet – back view)

Images: all © Elsha Bonhnert 2009-10

Elsha on FB: http://bit.ly/friend-elsha-here

Find Elsha here: http://whatwouldelshado.com