About the Episode:
We made it to 20 episodes of the I Love New Mexico podcast! This episode is an extra special one. Bunny talks to Andrea Bonfils “an American mixed media artist based in Darien, Connecticut and Santa Fe, New Mexico.” Andrea has a very unique and important piece that will be for auction at the upcoming Sweetheart Auction for the Cancer Foundation for New Mexico. Hear her story and the story of “Healing with Heart” on this wonderful episode.
Links
Andrea’s website
Sweetheart Auction website
Cancer Foundation for New Mexico
Bunny’s website
Buy Bunny’s book on Amazon
I Love New Mexico Instagram
I Love New Mexico Facebook
Original Music by: Kene Terry
Featuring:
Andrea Bonfils
Andrea Bonfils is an American mixed media artist based in Darien, Connecticut and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Bonfils uses a wide range of materials including, found objects, photography and encaustic wax to create paintings and sculpture that investigate the convergence of nature and humanity. Her works have been exhibited in the Newport Art Museum, Bruce Museum, Yellowstone Art Museum and the permanent collection of Museum of Encaustic Art. In addition she has been featured in a variety of private and corporate collections globally including Tiffany & Co., Meyers Jabara Hotels, Fields Development Corporation USA, 1 Hotel and Merx Aviation. Andrea has completed over 80 commissions and presented in numerous solo and group shows.
Episode Transcript
Bunny : (00:00)
Hi there. I’m Bunny Terry, and you’re listening to the I Love New Mexico podcast. Whether you’re a native New Mexican, who’s lived here for your entire life, or you’re just considering a visit, this episode is for you. Join us as we share a lot of New Mexico’s stories, talk about all things New Mexico, and include topics like what’s magical here, where you ought to visit, what’s happening, and the things you absolutely cannot miss in the land of Enchantment. We’re excited that you’re here, and we can’t wait to show you what an amazing place New Mexico is, because let’s face it, I love New Mexico.
Bunny : (00:50)
This is a really special day on the, I love New Mexico blog podcast, because I have, this is, I have, we’ve sort of a dual story to hear today. I have with me, I wanna be sure I get this right, and Andrea Bonfils, did I say both of those things, right? Some people are Andrea. Some are Andrea. You’re Andrea. Right? Right. Okay. And, I’m going to, I’m going to read a short list of Andrea’s accomplishments, and then, um, I want the rest of you to hear in her own words, um, some of her New Mexico story, and then we have a really, really special story to share at the end. So stick around till the end, because I want you to know this amazing thing that she has done, over the past few months for, um, a cancer patient who is important to everybody, to many, many, many people in the New Mexico community, but also, for the Cancer Foundation. So, so before we begin, I just wanna say, Andrea, thank you so much for being part of, of the Healing with Heart initiative. And, we’re gonna talk more about that later. So please, everybody stated the end, you’re gonna love this story, but Andrea, Andrea is, and I’m, I’m, I’m reading right from the website because this is so much better than what I could have written down. You’re an American mixed media artist, and you’re based in two places, right? In Santa Fe and in Connecticut. Is that correct? Yes. Mm-hmm. . And it says here that you use, I’ve seen your work. I was at the, I’ve seen it in, um, the, um, in Art, am I getting that right? In art, uh, InArt Gallery and in Art Gallery, yes. Which is one of my favorite galleries. And at the party, at the Four Seasons at Santa Fe Magazine and Pool custom Builders put together, and you use, I guess you’re considered an en caustic artist. You use all sorts of materials. I mean, you don’t just paint on a surface. This is 2D stuff, right?
Andrea: (02:58)
I love, um, working with all sorts of materials, photography and caustics, um, sculpture, metals, mixing it all together, keeping it separate. Each medium kind of has its own, flare and ability to work together.
Bunny : (03:22)
Well, I was really, um, surprised to read that you were first, your first profession, at least after school, was as a social worker. Am I right?
Andrea: (03:32)
Yes. I was, um, an L C S W and worked in many, uh, settings in administration mainly, and worked with a lot of, uh, families, communities. And that, I think, informs my work in terms of like bringing past and present together. A lot of my work is involved with or thematically, addressing communities, uh, health environment, interconnectedness, um, psychology. So there’s, you know, although I am no longer involved in the social work world, uh, professionally, I am still very involved, in my artwork, in participating in that world, uh, mostly through donations towards something like the Cancer Foundation, where I can make a difference, through my art and visually, advocate for the subjects that I’m interested in.
Bunny : (04:46)
Well, I’m interested in hearing how you made that transition. I mean, those are really two different vocations and, you know, I have a daughter who’s a social worker and a daughter-in-law who’s a social worker and a step-daughter who’s a social worker. So I understand that world, but you made a big leap to being a full-time artist. I’m interested in hearing that story.
Andrea: (05:08)
Uh, oddly, I was, very nervous about being a starving artist as a independent young woman, , I think it’s not uncommon. So while I always wanted to be an artist, I didn’t wanna be a starving artist, and it was very important for me to be independent and, uh, social work, psychology was very much of interest to me. So professionally, I decided to focus in that area, uh, all the while kind of pining over making things, creating, um, and wanting to be an artist. But I did not pursue any of that, uh, because I think on some level, I wanted to be full-time doing whatever I was doing and doing it well. And I had a wonderful career in many different settings. But, uh, when I got pregnant and moved to the suburbs with my husband and my job did not afford a nanny, I decided to be a stay-at-home mom. And then decided very distinctly that I would begin my art career and focus on that full-time while raising my children, which of course is a full-time job in and of itself. But, um, I managed with many alarms, , uh, to stay focused on both raising the children and they’re thriving today as young artists themselves. And also focusing everything I had extra on the art and have not looked back for a millisecond since.
Bunny : (06:47)
Andrea, that’s a big undertaking. I mean, I’m a writer, um, at heart, and, and I had, and I have kids, and I just know I would read all of these, um, books about, well, you know, take your notebook with you and write while you’re waiting for them to get outta school and write while you’re sitting in the, in the waiting room at the pediatrician and write. And, and I just recall that I thought, I am never going to get to the point where I can do this full-time. And so what a great example you set for them that. You’ve Created that life in the midst of, there’s nothing that requires more time and energy than raising children.
Andrea: (07:32)
It is, it is an interesting full-time job, . Yeah. And there is a difference between surviving and thriving
Bunny : (07:40)
. Right, right, right, right. Well, I just, I love that you said they’re thriving artists now, because I don’t know if you hadn’t set that example, if they’d have that courage. Well, tell me the New Mexico part of that story. How did, when did you end up in New Mexico? And I mean, tell me about that p that piece.
Andrea: (07:59)
Uh, New Mexico has always been a love, uh, of mine. And my husband’s, we started, well, he goes back as far as, uh, college days to, um, Colorado College and, um, had a love affair with, uh, the West Coast and skiing. And we got married in Steamboat Springs and love just being in the mountains and skiing. And when we got to Taos, uh, we were completely obsessed. And we spent, um, many, uh, winters taking the children’s skiing there and brought lots of friends, uh, from Connecticut to stay in these beautiful adobe homes in the desert, and kept explaining to everybody how spectacular skiing in the high desert is. Um, but, uh, people just don’t even realize that they’re skiing in Santa Fe specifically, which is always, um, amazing to me because skiing is spectacular. It’s world class of this teeny tiny mountain. It’s like you have the whole place to yourself, and Taos is, you know, world renowned. And so we couldn’t get enough of it. We were gonna, um, build a house in Taos, but then eventually ended up in Santa Fe. And there was a huge, um, uh, part of the art world in Santa Fe specifically, uh, that attracted us, of course. And the food is spectacular, and we’re all foodies in our families, so that really suits us well and outdoor enthusiasts, and we spend, um, as much waking time outdoors as possible. So it’s a year round amazing destination. And I, I’m just afraid everybody’s gonna catch on too soon.
Bunny : (09:45)
. Well, you know, I, I sell real estate on the side in addition to everything else that I do. And I, I have folks who are mostly, mostly from the Bay Area now, and they’ll, I, I even have people who will come here for the first visit, and then they’ll call me and say, I have to live here. I I have to live here and listen, when I take people out, I tend to say, okay, just remember that, you know, this is where you’re moving to. Please don’t bring everything you know from where you were. Let’s keep this, um, as unique and, um, interesting and, and New Mexico, New Mexico as we can. So, um, but, but I think the cool thing is that, so, I mean, you showed up here and you’re really contributing to the community, and that’s, that’s part, I just did a podcast with some young women who are, and it’s a completely different story, but, um, they said, well, why should we on be on your podcast? And I said, because I think the most important stories to tell about new Mexicans are not what the top 10 list is. You know, I’d love to hear what your top 10 restaurant, favorite restaurant. What I really wanna hear is how you’re changing your life and you’re helping to change the lives of other people, and you’re doing that.
Andrea: (11:06)
Hmm. Um, I mean, we all sort of change each other’s lives and, uh, integrate, uh, differently. Um, um, I don’t know, you know, if I’m changing lives, I think that, uh, specifically in any particular way other than, you know, just being an artist. And, I think, um, maybe, you know, through my art focusing on, um, environmental and humanitarian causes are, is probably the most, um, poignant sort of message that I can relate. And I’ve been out photographing wild horses with a wonderful photographer by the name of Limp Pomerance, who is very familiar with, um, where they f where they roam and forage and, um, exist. And, uh, I’ve hired her to take me out for very unique, uh, photographic opportunities. I’ve spent a lot of time at the Bosque de Apache, which is a phenomenal, um, bird refuge that is like being in an African safari, and it’s just two and a half hours south of Santa Fe. And then just being involved with the people of Santa Fe, um, you know, Jodi Pool who invited me to, get involved with the, with the foundation is just a phenomenal human being. She’s very effective in, in creating change for people in the best ways possible. And, uh, she’s collected a lot of my art and with her husband Will. And just buying, you know, being with really unique, um, people who affect change and aligning with them in a cause like this, um, which speaks for itself. And, you know, just who, who wouldn’t wanna support people who need cancer treatment and can’t afford it. It’s just a spectacular organization, and it really means a lot to, to anybody who’s been affected by cancer, which is everybody. So we’re all, um, hoping to make a change in this area, and I’m just part of that system.
Bunny : (13:40)
Well, I love that. Well, I mean, Jodi’s like a force in nature, isn’t she?
Andrea: (13:44)
It’s like, absolutely.
Bunny : (13:45)
Wow. I’d love to take her energy and bottle it, but I, this is a really nice segue to talk about what you’ve done and I do wanna come back. I wanna talk more about those wild horse photos and how that’s gonna inspire your work in the future. But I wanna talk for just a minute about Jodi came to us to the Cancer Foundation for New Mexico, and I’m so excited that I talked her into being a board member. But we had a meeting and she said, listen, I have this idea, and it’s, and it’s not a unique idea, but it’s unique to Santa Fe. And she said, I’ve seen it done elsewhere. And it is, and I’m, I wanna explain this to our listeners. This is an initiative where we take a cancer patient and we create a collaboration with between that cancer patient and a volunteer artist. And Andrea was our first, and, and the two, and I want you to explain the process that you and Marsha went through, but basically the artist creates a work inspired by the story of the, the patient. And I’ve already said more than, than I completely understand how it worked with you and Marsha, but I’d love for you to tell people how that started and where it went and, and where it is now.
Andrea: (15:07)
Well, I always said to Jodi anything she wants, um, me to get involved when it’s, it’s a yes. Before she even asks. So when she asked if, uh, I was interested, of course I was interested, um, because of everything she’s up to. But the, um, the person who she paired me with, um, Marsha, who very unfortunately has passed away, um, after we created our piece together, uh, she had introduced me to about a year ago, and I had done some commission pieces for her. She collected my en caustic paintings, which is Melted Bees wax. Um, so we had a natural, uh, relationship already, and, uh, just adored her from the moment I met her, um, and her husband Jeff. And she, it’s, uh, hard to talk about without getting emotional because she’s, she was such a lovely person. But, um,
Bunny : (16:14)
Well, and she and I, and I want folks to know that she passed away very recently, so I know this is really fresh for you, but, but I appreciate you taking the time, folks to tell folks, and if you get emotional, we don’t care because it is a really, really moving story.
Andrea: (16:33)
Yeah. Well, making the piece I, you know, Jodi kept saying, thank you, thank you for, you know, doing this. And I thought, oh my God, this is the best. I mean, I’ve done over a hundred commissions, but this is by far the best job I’ve ever done. And felt like the most important, uh, because it was somebody else’s story that, um, you know, it was just a beautiful story. It wa you know, she wasn’t.
Andrea: (17:05)
Every human being’s important. And when you put, uh, somebody’s legacy into a visual art piece, um, in any form, and I’m not saying that I created her legacy. She has many people who know and love her, outside of this unique, very small portion of her life, but you feel a responsibility to tell somebody’s story. And she was a wonderful woman. She had this beautiful lightness to her and positivity, that sort of, kind of felt like a glow. And, I said, as I was describing, um, her participation, you know, I was painting with wax and oil, and she was painting with angels, and it just felt like her, her participation had a certain energy to it. And we had a narrative that was fairly straightforward. It was, I painted an abstract landscape. And the texture of the wax kind of, uh, creates layers over oil paint, which has a beautiful luminosity in and of itself, but the wax adds quite a bit to a bit to that.
Andrea: (18:33)
And in this landscape and narrative, um, we looked kind of towards a New Mexico sky, which is a spectacular event in and of itself. Um, and one of my favorite things about the New Mexico sky skies, a how vast it is. But, um, when you look left, you can see an enormous storm coming when you look right, you could be getting rained on while looking at sunshine. Um, and it, everything, and everything is happening all at the same time, and it’s like a, a theatrical sort of moment, just every time you look up. So, uh, the drama of her story being in storms that were sort of insurmountable at times, I’m sure hellish, um, and dark and, uh, and harsh then came her light and her positivity and her joy and the sort of beam of light that you see coming through clouds, it, it feels godly, it feels unearthly. It just it feels magical. And that was sort of a little bit of what I wanted to create.And I hope I got somewhere around that. But, uh, she was very happy with it. And we both signed the back of the painting together, which I thought was, was very, you know important.
Bunny : (20:06)
Well, that gave me chills because I’ve seen that, I’ve seen, um, a photo. I haven’t seen the actual painting, but I love it, and I love that it is, I mean, it’s a, it’s, it’s a horizontal piece. So when you said that, it you, that you, it was a, it was, you know, the landscape informed it. I hadn’t heard, and I don’t know who has heard, maybe Jodi has what all of that represented, but I get it immediately. And, and I’m a stage four cancer survivor, so I get that storm piece. Um, so Wow. I mean, I’ve seen the painting when we will, we’ll post in our materials, we’ll post a copy of that so that people can see what you created. I’m really interested in hearing how I mean, you’ve talked already about what a, what a gift it was to do it, but is there, is there anything else about that experience for you that you’d like for people to hear about? Because I just, I think that, um, telling somebody else’s story, I mean, it’s not what artists usually do.
Andrea: (21:24)
Yeah. Well, um, I don’t know, maybe this, uh, sort of goes back to, um, being a clinical social worker and having, um, an interest in people’s stories. Um, Marsha and I shared a lot of stories, good and bad, and, um, uh, just life, you know, life and all the turns that it takes. And, uh, so for me, this was a pretty comfortable place to be, um, in terms of hearing her story and incorporating what that meant, it was kind of a natural process for me. I think I may have gotten away from your question, .
Bunny : (22:09)
Sorry. It doesn’t matter. I always half the time, I never know what I’m gonna ask you. And then the other half of the time, it, the story is much better than any answer that you could have given me that directly addresses the question. How’s that for going in a big circle?
Andrea: (22:25)
love a circle.
Bunny : (22:27)
Yeah. Yes. Well, it works. And I, so this piece is one of four. We have four artists who agreed to work with patients. And, and, and I’m hopeful that, that those artists will also agree to come on the podcast because I mean, all of these patients have, are in New Mexico right now, and all of these artists are in New Mexico right now. And this is to me, I mean, as, as a survivor who has lived in a community now for 10 years of people, a lot of people who didn’t survive, this is such a gift to Marsha’s husband, to her family, yeah. To her friends. I know it was a gift to you to create it, but, um, just the idea first that Jodi, um, gave that she presented the idea, and then we followed through with it in a really short time. I mean mm-hmm. , Andrea, I don’t know when she asked you to do this, but, but it seems to me like it was maybe September.
Andrea: (23:39)
Yeah. Well, because I travel, um, back and and forth, I wanted to be sure that I, um, met with, um, Marsha and had ample time. So I did start the process immediately. Yeah. I wanted to be sure that, uh, everything was accomplished. And I know that Marsha was struggling towards the end, so it was extremely important to sort of meet with her while I had the opportunity and get to it.
Bunny : (24:18)
Well, at the, at the Cancer Foundation, we’re all about hope, you know, there’s, there’s, and, and, and I know from hearing Jodi talk about it, that Marsha was all about hope as well. I mean, at one point she said she’s excited, she bought her dress for the sweetheart auction. And I thought that’s like the ultimate piece of hope, to know that you could be in stages, but you also could get to go to the event where your peace is unveiled.
Andrea: (24:48)
Yeah,
Bunny : (24:49)
What An amazing piece.
Andrea: (24:50)
I mean, she was about faith, gratitude, love, hope, and, um, making every second count. Um, she was really present, if that makes any sense. Um, but you do sort of feel something very magical about being with somebody who is pressured by, um, a cancer diagnosis. And I think the, the magical thing is how alive you can be in, um, and making your world as meaningful as possible in the time that you do have. And Marsha sort of had that sense of magic about her that, um, whatever time she had, it was, it was gonna be the best she could make of it. And you felt like everything was very important in her presence. And it was, it was fairly magical.
Bunny : (25:54)
Well, we could all live our life. I’m, I mean, none of us are, are going to live forever. So what an, what a cool awareness, um, and, and what a way to present and be and be present, not just present, but be present in the world. So thanks for that. And I think it’s really cool that she was already a collector of your work.
Andrea: (26:18)
Yeah, yeah. She was pretty obsessed with Art . She has a mighty big collection. And, um, I think that’s testimony to sort of like how soulful she was in, in a way that she really got into the mindset of the artist and what it is that you were trying to create. And, um, and that was also what made it really special working with her, cuz she really, really had a love for art. And, kind of looking a bit deeper into things. So when um, you’re making a piece with somebody like that, you really feel like you’re making something more important together.
Bunny : (27:02)
Well, I think it’s really important. Well, first of, we want people to know, and we’ll put the, the information here, but, um, Andrea’s piece is, I believe, and I, we never, we never guarantee this cuz there is a whole committee, but I believe this piece will be in the live auction at the Sweetheart Auction on February 11th at the Convention Center in Santa Fe. And I want folks to know that the Cancer Foundation raises more than 65% of their annual budget at that event. So this piece is going to go a long way. And, and, and Marsha’s willingness to tell her story through your medium is gonna go a long ways towards helping change and save other lives. And she, as I understand it from Jodi, she got that from the beginning that she wanted to do this because somebody else could experience hope from the effort and the energy that she gave us. So, so I want folks to know that there will be three other pieces, but I also want folks to be able to find you. I wanna circle back. Let’s circle back just for a minute. I wanna hear about those wild horses. How are they gonna inform your work in, in the future? And, and what else can you tell us about how New Mexico, um, inspires your work?
Andrea: (28:21)
Well, I guess, uh, just being an outdoor enthusiast is, is enough. Um, but there’s, uh, I’m completely in love with Santa Fe and New Mexico in general for the environment, the people, the culture of the food. I mean, it goes on and on and it’s four seasons of beautiful, beautiful living. So year round, just amazing. And I can’t, really say enough about that in general, but specifically being in the Bureau of Land Management following a band of wild horses, specifically spectacular I started sunrise and at Sunset and until my camera can’t shoot another picture, taking thousands and thousands of photographs, um, whittling it down to a few that I just love. Matter of fact, one of them’s up at the Four Seasons on and the fireplace and the restaurant but it’s one of literally thousands of pictures. And it, it’s amazing how few of ’em actually I come to love at the end of a long day like that. But, um, being in nature, just, it’s, it’s a haphazard kind of like scenario. Lots of things moving and light changes. And so it’s just being outside with these majestic animals that is, is really, and the physicality of it all is, is really a spectacular event. Even if you don’t get one picture out of it, it’s well worth it. And it’s just like being down at the Bosque where hundreds of thousands along that cranes are coming at you and it’s deafening and they’re squawking and, um, flying into the water at night to avoid predators. Um, all of these experiences are very rich for me. But, the more I’m in Santa Fe, the more it’s also about the people I meet and the culture. You know, it’s all, it’s all encompassed, but, um, a lot of my, uh, work in, uh, photography specifically is underwater as well. And, um, this, uh, summer I brought my camera out and tried to take some cactus flower photographs. So I have a big, series called Submerge Gardens, um, where I had photograph flowers, underwater people underwater. It’s, it’s a lot of fun. I hope to explore more of the water in New Mexico and being that it’s of short supply, it is a more of interest , it is, um, as a precious resource and also just, uh, for the elements of water and all its spectacular features, you know.
Bunny : (31:27)
Nice, nice. Well, Andrea, I’m so honored first of all that you did this for the Cancer Foundation and that you agreed to talk with me about it. But I also and I’m so honored that Marsha was part of that. I’m sorry that I didn’t know her personally, but what a gift. And, and I hope that we’ll see you at the event. Will you be at the Sweetheart Auction?
Andrea: (31:52)
Absolutely.
Bunny : (31:53)
Yeah. Okay. So anybody who listening forward to it who wants to meet Andrea in person, be sure to come to the Sweetheart Auction. We’ll put a link to tickets, but I also want them to know that they can, are you only at In Art in Santa Fe?
Andrea: (32:08)
No. I mean, anybody can access my website. It’s, uh, simply Andreaartstudio.com. So I also have quite a bit of work hanging at the Four Seasons in Santa Fe. So if you’re looking for a cocktail at Sunset, it’s a perfect place to view art and and look it through the mountain into the mountains.
Bunny : (32:35)
It is. In fact, let’s meet out there and I’ll buy you a drink and I wanna see that photo horses over the fireplace. Okay. It’s a deal. Okay. Yep. Love it. All right. Thank you so much, Andrea. And I know, thank you, buddy. I’ll see you in February. Yeah.
Andrea: (32:48)
If not sooner at the Four Seasons. Yeah. .
Bunny : (32:51)
Yes. What a great idea.
Andrea: (32:53)
All right. Be well.
Bunny: (32:54)
Thank you. You’re welcome. Thank you.