Bonnie Meltzer
Very Mixed Media Constructions

Crocheted Wire.....Digital Photography.....Recycled Computer Parts.....Painted Wood

Bonnie Meltzer is a Portland, Oregon artist who makes very mixed-media constructions from a variety of unusual materials: crocheted wire, recycled computer parts, painted surfaces and digital photography. The juxtaposition of all these materials and techniques makes for fascinating subject matter and rich surfaces. She uses a Macintosh computer both as a design tool and to make design elements. Along with her activities as an artist she lectures and writes about art and technology; the ethics of digital photography and art from recycled materials. She also designs web sites for other artists and arts organizations, including this one.

Bequest
Painted wood, found objects, digital photograph and crocheted wire, 60" X 60"
Made for " Sustaining Change on the American Farm", Maryhill Museum, Goldendale, Washington
Twelve artists, paired with twelve farmers, visited their respective farms then constructed artworks about sustainability. Exhibited March 18 - July 30, 2006. This artwork is availble for exhibition and sale..

News & Events Now & In The Future

In Print and On The Web

See pictures of Meltzer's garden and studio here

Brownie Uniform
painted wood, found objects and crocheted wire

Portland Open Studios
October 10,11 & 17, 18

Bonnie Meltzer is one of 100 artists who open their studios to the public in October. Ticket information at Portland Open Studios

Check out this story from Neighborood Notes
talk about Portland Open Studios and pictures of my studio.

Cornucopia
found objects and crocheted wire

Art Contemplates Industry

Group exhibition about the
decommissioned Bull Run Powerhouse.

Oct 3 - Dec 31, 2009
Mt. Hood Cultural Center & Museum,
at Government Camp, Oregon

January - Ferbruary 2010
Sandy Library

March 2010
West Linn Library

April 2010
Portland General Electric Headquarters

at the river getting ideas

Voyage
painted wood with found objects and crocheted wire.
33" x 48"

Three interconnected journey ideas played into the design of “Voyages”.  First, I don’t want viewers to forget that the buildings are about electric generation. What we consider so simple an act.-- the turning on of a light -- is in reality a long, complicated journey to our homes.  This determined my use of ordinary electrical artifacts. The second idea was to commemorate the intercity transportation system for which the plant was built. At the beginning of the 20th century thousands of people took the  Bull Run trolley for excursions into nature.  Lastly, while the plant was in operation the salmon had to make arduous journeys up fish ladders.  Even though fish ladders are more like steps, using ladder icons matches the popular word usage,

 Because water is at the center of both the building of the plant and its closure, the word “voyage”  with its water connotation was selected for the title rather than some other word meaning travel.