Me & My Art - The Personal Stuff
"First baby born after the subway opened in Toronto Ontario (1954) in the happy land of Canada. Called "Little Miss Subway" by the nurses but they sure wouldn't call me little any more. Named Adriana Mechelina Veenstra by my Dutch immigrant parents; nicknamed Bonnie. The name Glass came along when I married John (people ask me how you spell that?!) After living near Georgetown, Ontario for 40 years, I have relocated to the community of Guelph.
What are my credentials?
You mean who taught me how to sew? MOM! And some really good highschool Home Ec. instructors. Self-taught for the rest through 35 years of trial and error - ALOT of trial and error. The school of hard knocks is a great master.
What started me? The Dance of Design has always been in my head. As a child the library fuelled my imagination through all the books I read. "Pride and Prejudice" was my favourite. As a young mother my champagne taste, beer budget (sometimes water) pushed me to make unique clothing for myself and my two children. Frustration being the mother of invention here.
Eventually my love of colour, line and texture led me to design a really unusual coat, which I loved wearing. Inquiries from strangers as to where I had purchased this coat led me to establish a business under the name "Mélange" in 1991. I designed one of a kind coats, skirts, jackets and special occasion-wear. Garments now carry a "Bonnie Glass original" label.
What Drives Me?
"I serve an awesome God and it is a privilege and the delight of my heart to express His gifts through this work. And when I have felt so inept and frustrated with all the challenges, He has whispered words to console and lift my soul. And then I go on. He is the reason behind me founding "The Wearable Art Show.
Philippians 4:8 "Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honourable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things." amplified version
Who do I design for? Women who are:
CONFIDENT: They've developed their own sense of style and are comfortable - even elated - in expressing their joie de vivre. Often times that grows from their life experiences.
ORIGINALS: The garments, just like their owners are one of a kind. They are the ones that stand out from the blah of black in the dead of winter.
BOHEMIAN AT HEART
These are women, and their life partners, who enjoy the arts in all its many forms.
The Vision for my work?
Being of Dutch descent, (which means practical) my feet are firmly planted on the ground; but my head feels happiest up in the clouds. In my designs this translates into durability, versatility, intricately woven with the aesthetics of the artful and theatrical. The net result being a timeless treasure that embodies my client's personality. It means I bring theatre to the street of the everyday hustle and bustle of life - it's where the extraordinary engages the ordinary. And I know that when my clients smile in response to the compliments they get, it spreads a little ray of sunshine; and I think that's pretty neat.
Into The Studio