Bonnie Acker at Julian Scott Memorial Gallery

August 20, 2010

The exhibit runs from August 18 – September 5, 2010

TWO Gallery Talks: Monday, Aug. 30, at 10 a.m. AND Tuesday, Aug. 31, at 2:30 p.m.

“Paintings, Posters and Politics,” an exhibit of work by longtime artist and activist Bonnie Acker of Burlington, will be on display at the Julian Scott Memorial Gallery at Johnson State College (JSC) Wednesday, Aug. 18, through Saturday, Sept. 5. In addition, the artist will host two gallery talks: on Monday, Aug. 30, at 10 a.m., and on Tuesday, Aug. 31, at 2:30 p.m.

An eclectic artist known as much for her community involvement as her award-winning art, Acker creates vivid landscapes in watercolor, pastels and oil; stunning paper collages; and works in a variety of other media, including fabric. Her pastels and oils are seasonal and impressionistic, depicting a wide variety of Vermont settings. Her landscapes have been featured in two books, Champlain’s Lake Rediscovered and The Art of Lake Champlain.

Acker connects her work with her love of the environment and her dedication to many social causes, and she has received numerous awards and accolades for both. Her artwork is displayed in public and private collections throughout New England and is often donated to benefit organizations working for sustainable farming, affordable housing and other social causes.

In addition to her life as an artist, Bonnie is immersed in a statewide effort to improve the foods served in Vermont schools. Her many awards include those from the Vermont Alliance for Arts Education (for significant contribution to the arts at Edmunds Middle School in Burlington) and the 2005 Governor’s Award for Outstanding Community Service (for connecting Burlington students to school-food change, gardening and farming).

“There is no other place on earth I’d rather be than in Vermont. The optimism, the dedication to improving the planet and the widespread resourcefulness, all give me the opportunity to believe in the future and the opportunity to connect my artwork to the wider community,” says Acker. “I love the landscape that the urban and rural communities give to our state’s unique character. And I love being an artist, creating uplifting scenes that honor the community-building so deeply rooted around me.”

The Julian Scott Memorial Gallery is located in the Dibden Center for the Arts on the JSC campus. It is open to the public 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, as well as during Dibden Center events. Admission is free. For more information, contact Leila Bandar at (802)635-1469 or leila.bandar@jsc.edu.