Bonnie Ferguson Butler - When I turned nine years old, I purchased my first camera, a Kodak Instamatic, with my birthday money. It was then that I became an avid recorder of the life around me. However, it took years before I truly appreciated nature. I metaphorically saw my first tree when I was a Senior at Wofford College, the result of a required art class outside of my Science majors. Transformed, I then redirected to balance Art and Biochemistry over the coming years.

Graduate work in Humanities and Art History at the University of Richmond gave me the proper foundation for further studies, while local artist instructors continue to share their passion. Over time a watercolorist, woodworker, and quilter, I now paint in soft pastel, oil, and pen and ink with watercolor, as well as other mixed media artforms. My joy is working en plein air; I see trees regularly now and often photograph them, too.

(Select pictures for larger viewing!)

Fountainhead	Hay Bales and Lavender	Morning Drive
Linger	Wonder	Beach Cottages at Sunset Cape May	Avenue of the Giants
Evening Play - Pastel	Central Green - SOLD	Laundry Study - Pastel	Poolesville Stand - Pastel - SOLD
		Skyline Atmospherics - SOLD
Beehive Oven - Pastel	Up from the Cliffs (Occoquan) - Pastel	Red Roof - Pastel	Neabsco - Pastel - SOLD

Born in Missouri, I moved to South Carolina when I was a child. After a short time in Georgia, I have lived in lush Virginia for over 20 years. An award-winning artist and photographer, I appreciate the variety of opportunities Northern Virginia affords the creative mind and routinely exhibit at many locations, locally, regionally, and nationally. In addition to painting and photography, I enjoy being active in the Arts in this area, from belonging to and volunteering with many societies to spending time in the schools and teaching the Boy Scouts Art Merit Badge. Founder of the Pastel Society of Virginia, my other recent affiliations include Workhouse Arts Center, Springfield Art Guild, Maryland Pastel Society, Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, and Kate Waller Barrett Chapter NSDAR.

En plein air painting defines my style. Several characteristics contribute to the distinctive beauty of paintings created outdoors. Pieces are smaller to capture a scene in one session. Time constraints in a changing environment cause them to lack extensive detail, so they appear slightly fuzzy or unfinished. Further, they tend to have a freshness and spontaneity which makes them impossible to compare to studio work. It  captures my imagination with a challenging, guerrilla-style painting method that is both close to nature as well as in the thick of the environment.

To continue to add to my body of work in the plein air off season, I work in mixed media, plus I create photographs year around. Both are means to continue to express my fascination with the outdoors.

En plein air pastels, oils, and mixed media: bfbutler.blogspot.com
Photography Daily: bfbutlerphoto.blogspot.com
Galleries: The Loft Gallery and Workhouse Arts Center
Founder, Pastel Society of Virginia