Horror Rides with Humor in Bonnie Cunningham's "Earthly Venture" Series

Bonnie Cunningham

Self-Portrait: At the time of this painting I was having recurring dreams and daydreams of throwing up blood.

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It's rare an artist tells us exactly what she is attempting to depict in her artwork. But Bonnie Cunningham reveals all on her blog (her observations accompany the works shown here). Cunningham shares her darkest dreams and admits to her funniest fantasies in colorful acrylic paintings that include the whimsical, the ridiculous, and the horrific. This month, Market Street Gallery presents "Earthly Venture," a solo exhibition featuring Cunningham's latest work.

Bonnie Cunningham

Goodbyes Are Disappointing: This painting is about leaving. It's an anticlimactic goodbye in the end. Life is bland, and things and relationships you thought were important fizzle out. It's not a unique experience, as shown by other people blandly parting in the background.

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As a lot of us have done, Cunningham said farewell to her past. She packed up in Baltimore and moved to San Francisco. Her Earthly Venture series is inspired by her journey and recognizes that she is not unique in this experience. Cunningham captures a roller coaster of feelings: the pain of leaving loved ones, the excitement of moving to a new city, unexpected sickness, and arriving in a place with no job, friends, or family.