The Cougar's Byte

Issue date: 10/17/05 Section: Campus News

Media Credit: Jen Bissu Paul Bonelli proudly shows off his masterpiece.

Media Credit: Jen Bissu

Media Credit: Jen Bissu

Most artists find that when they're wrapped up in the bustle of everyday life, it's easy to say, "Oh, I don't have time to make art today." They let days and days go by without making time for their passion. Well, artist and Kean adjunct professor Paul Bonelli found a brilliant solution: he made a commitment to attack a massive art project, consisting of making one woodcut each day over the course of an entire year. He calls this work "The Fourth of July," because he began it on that day in 1993 and created the last piece on July 4, 1994-one year and 366 prints later. Each woodcut tells about something that happened to him that day. It's like a pictorial diary, and sometimes a simple, striking image can speak volumes. For instance, one day his woodcut consisted of a lone wooden chair, stark and still; it captures the feeling of loneliness and boredom.

"Other than the scale and time commitment, this series was different than anything else I had ever attempted in one important way-I had no idea what it would look like in the end. I had chosen a rigid format, but I could not know what the prints would depict even one day in the future, not to mention in 365 days. Nor could I even predict the look of the prints made a year away, as my drawing/cutting style might change over that time. The greatest event of my life might have occurred in that year, or the worst. But the really good thing was that I had no format concerns," explains Paul. "Sometimes having a lot of structure gives you a lot of freedom. I didn't have to deal with the decisions about color versus black & white, horizontal versus vertical, or size. It gave me the opportunity to focus instead on content, composition, and approach." What an intriguing concept-this is a great way to force yourself to think creatively. He adds, "I purposely made a lot of these not as specific as I could have, so people could project their own experiences onto them, and make it something they could relate to. One of the things I wanted was for people to be able to look at it and experience it in their own way." It was great fun to speak with Paul; he has fascinating stories about each image. Paul reminds us, "I believe that if we take the time to look at the world around us, and our daily routine, we are likely to find some interesting things."

The exhibit also features another personal diary piece about his experience of September 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center was under attack. The panels in this woodcut alternate between images of a clock showing the time, and the buildings (or what was left of them). It's a very moving and somber piece of art.

Paul Bonelli's work is on display in the gallery at the Nancy Thompson Library until October 23. Don't worry about gallery hours; the work is clearly visible through the glass, and it's not something you want to miss-so just duck into the library when you're passing by-you will be amazed!

Check out Paul Bonelli's work

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