Benita Garvin (aka ‘Bonnie’) took an unpredictable and unconventional route to becoming a painter. Her professional life began as publicist for a major theatrical organization. While promoting plays during the day, she went home and wrote one at night. That play opened the door to a career as an award-winning writer and producer in film and television in the U.S. and Europe. She’s also part of the faculty in John Wells Division of Film and Television Writing at the University of Southern California where she teaches screenwriting.
Always eager to explore new creative outlets, Garvin chose painting. Inspired by Patti Smith’s “Just Kids,” Garvin signed up for an art class. Her closest contact with paintings was going to museums. She expressly chose painting because she believed she’d be terrible and found have a lack of expectations liberating. Nobody was more surprised than Garvin, when she discovered more than talent, but a success she could measure in the personal pleasure of the process of creating art.
Garvin’s art reflects a writer’s view of the world.Each piece, whether a portrait, landscape or floral takes the eye somewhere deeper than just the visual. Every time you view on her paintings, you find something new, something fresh making them infinitely viewable.