Join the Bainbridge Public Library for the November 2021 First Friday Art Walk, featuring artist Joanne Onorato

The Bainbridge Public Library is dedicated to spreading the joy of reading and the discovery of ideas with not just our local community, but with visitors from near and afar. In addition, the library is fortunate to house beautiful local works of art both inside and outside the building. Each month the library celebrates a local artist (or artists) with an exhibit, which opens monthly on the Island’s First Friday Art Walk tour, and includes a reception hosted by the featured artist.

The Bainbridge Public Library is proud to present an exhibit by artist Joanne Onorato 

Joanne will host a “meet and greet” from 5pm-7pm on Friday, November 5th to open her new exhibit, “From Billboards to Bainbridge” for First Friday Art Walk

Joanne Onorato is a native New Yorker, who spent her high school years exploring museums such as the Guggenheim, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She fell in love with artists Picasso, Klee, Dali, Modigliani, Warhol, Chuck Close, Matisse, Van Gogh, and Chagall, just to name a few.

When her uncle took her to the billboard shop of Foster & Kleizer in Maspeth, Queens, he told her that she’d be a billboard artist someday, although it intrigued her, she was resistant because it was “commercial art”. However, after finishing college, travelling, boat building school and time as a sailor, she found that she needed a more permanent job. She applied to Foster & Kleizer as an apprentice, and later transferred to their Los Angeles office. Although the hours were long, it was a job she absolutely loved, and was sad to see go with the advent of billboard digitalization.

Joanne came to Bainbridge Island 25 years ago, and has called it home ever since. Throughout the years, she’s enjoyed working locally as a muralist for public advocacy and environmental learning with Earthright Insight, art director and lead painter working with community members for a mural project at the Pike Place Market Food Bank, and Art Director for Bainbridge High School’s student mural installed on Winslow Way.

Although she moved on from the commercial art background that she loved, she continues to educate herself via courses and networking through Winslow Art Center and through the Pacific Art West Association. Her work has sold through private commissions and galleries, and exhibited at Panera bread stores throughout the United States.

Using oils and a variety of mixed-media, Joanne incorporates and combines contemporary expression, realism, impressionism and abstraction to create beautiful paintings in subjects such as figurative, plein air landscapes, still life and urban landscapes.

“My work speaks of nature, of joy, of memories, of people. I am evolving through the past and present. Each stroke in my painting is a moment. I hope you can join me on my journey.”

Joanne’s exhibit is available for viewing and sale at the Bainbridge Public Library throughout the month of November in the meeting room during regular library hours and on the library website, www.bainbridgepubliclibrary.org.

To view more of Joanne’s work, visit her website: Home – Onorato Art

As always, thank you for supporting your Bainbridge Public Library and local artists. If you have interest in exhibiting your work, feel free to contact Linda Meier, art coordinator, at lindameier2000@gmail.com

***Library content and images provided by Linda Meier, Bainbridge Public Library