Artisan of the Month
Bonnie Norling Wakeman

After graduating from a small college where the classes were taught by professional artists, Bonnie Norling Wakeman decided to follow her need to be surrounded by nature and the majestic beauty of mountains and move to Colorado.  She began her art career as an illustrator for children’s books and sewing manuals.  Bonnie says, “Living in the mountains forced me to be diverse.  I started designing t-shirts and painting local mountain scenes which I then turned into prints for sale.  My husband, Joe Wakeman, was a paper hanger and painter, later becoming a full time faux finisher.  At that time, his designers found out I was an artist and asked me to paint murals.  Once I started painting murals, it took over my life.”  Bonnie has tried to do other jobs but to no avail.  As she says, “I had to go back into art.  It is a calling.  It evolves, takes you with it, and tells you what you are going to do next.”  What came next for Bonnie was an exciting push to try something new from her husband Joe.  “My husband is the other half of our business.  He is an amazing faux painter, 3-D abstract and mixed media contemporary artist.  We work together quite a bit.  He is a huge part of why I do what I do.  One day he said, ‘Bonnie, you have to try this bas relief technique, it is so cool.’  From that point on, I took it and ran with it.”  Bonnie jumped head first into 3-D art and never once looked back.

Setting her mind to it, Bonnie dedicated herself to bas relief and set forth on finding a formula that would work as a permanent adhesive for her art.  “I needed something to carve into, wet and dry.  It took a few tries over the years; I finally found the right mixture that would adhere permanently to a wall.”  Once she found that, there was nothing that could stop her and her business Norling Wakeman Studios.

One of Bonnie’s favorite aspects of bas relief is working with her clients, whether it is with homeowner or the committees of commercial projects.  “I love to make people smile and see their faces when they stand in front of the art that they helped come up with the idea for.  Once they stand in front of it, to see their faces light up and hear them say wow is so worth it to me.”

From the thirteen years that Bonnie has been doing bas relief, she has many favorite memories.  Two special ones come to mind right now. “I am currently working on one that I am able to do all aspects; scenery and wildlife as well as incorporate that over the challenges of really large walls.  While I was working on the elk, it took a week, and it was wonderful to see the people’s reactions as they walked by it and saw it evolve.  It keeps it interesting to me.”  The other job that was particularly riveting in Bonnie’s memories was at the Grand Lodge on Peak 7 in Breckenridge, CO.  “There is gold metallic on the leaves so that when the light hits it, it shimmers.  People walk up to it, touch it and are not afraid to put their hands on the art.  It is three dimensional, permanent and so strong they can touch and feel it.  It is really fun for me to see them do that.  I would stand there, taking pictures and just listen to the positive comments they would make.”  Lighting is another very important aspect and Bonnie was paid one of the highest compliments by one of her clients.  “When I was done with the job, they enhanced it even more by changing the lighting to better illuminate the art.  Now it really has a wow factor.”

Not only does Bonnie enjoy doing bas relief, she enjoys teaching it as well, and has several upcoming workshops around the country.  On September 8th – 10th, 2011, Bonnie displayed a few of her bas relief pieces in Golden, Colorado at the Education Summit hosted by the Professional Decorative Painters Association.  It was here that Bonnie met Kathy Carroll.  After the lecture they were able to have a one on one discussion beneficial to both of them resulting in a wonderful friendship where they plan on many more wonderful conversations. Bonnie immediately passed on Kathy’s number to her husband “Joe Faux”, as well. 

As wonderful as it was having the summit in Colorado, Bonnie travels locally to Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, Denver to name just a few.  She will go wherever the job requires her to; some of the states she has worked in consist of Nebraska, Florida, California, and Wisconsin and is in the discussion stage of a job in Texas.  With the two aspects of her business she is certainly busy.  “I have two businesses, my bas relief business and my business teaching workshops as well as the DVD’s.  Sometimes it feels like a split personality.  The workshops are all art related but vastly different.  It keeps me on my toes!”  As their business continues to prosper, Bonnie has decided to venture into a new aspect of bas relief.  “The next big chapter will not only be scenic but contemporary bas relief as well.”

For more information about Bonnie Norling Wakeman or Norling Wakeman Studios please call 970.468.8392 or visit www.TransformingWalls.com