A painter helping shape the future of Fort Wayne’s creative community

In Fort Wayne, new artists are constantly emerging and adding their distinct styles to the vibrant and growing art scene. When BonJo After moving to Fort Wayne during her junior year of high school, she began immersing herself in the local art community, but she was an artist long before that.

BonJo traces her artistic roots to her childhood in Texas, where she says she was always doodling, coloring, and writing stories. She remembers attending summer camp, where she won art competitions, honing a talent that later became her life’s work. She also comes from a creative family. Her siblings also won their share of art competitions at summer camp and her grandfather was also a painter.

Rachel Von Art LLCArtist BonJo draws on his iPad.“He passed away when I was two, but my mom always talked about everything he painted and so I think that’s where that creative bone came from,” BonJo says.

Although she started out doodling and coloring, BonJo found painting to be her favorite medium.

“I don’t draw,” she explains. “So people say, ‘Oh, you drew that?’ I tell myself, I didn’t draw that. I painted this…it’s just completely different.

Looking at his work today, BonJo’s style is fluid, diverse and constantly evolving. She says it makes categorization difficult, but she likes to call it “flow.” Although the style itself can be difficult to categorize, his art often conveys a personal and cultural narrative, showcasing his Afro-Latino heritage.

She cites a few self-portraits as examples of some of her favorite works, both of which illustrate this narrative and celebrate her identity.

“I just want to highlight my nose and lips because those are my favorite features,” she explains. “And a nose also kind of represents who you are and where you come from. I know a lot of people don’t like their noses, but I think highlighting the nose and your lips – I hope it gives people the confidence to be proud of who they are, no matter what size they are, their color, because that’s your true identity there.

Rachel Von Art LLCA self-portrait taken by BonJo.Painting not only allows her to celebrate this identity, but BonJo explains that the creative outlet allows her to explore and embrace who she is.

“I’m Afro-Latino, so I got into self-portraits because I wanted to embrace who I was,” she says. “Being biracial is hard – some people think it’s an advantage, but it’s hard when you’re trying to identify. Being a painter has helped me identify who I am…being able to express myself through my art has helped me embrace who I am and my culture.

Rachel Von Art LLCBonJo highlights the details of her self-portrait.BonJo is primarily self-taught as an artist, but she doesn’t take lightly the mentorships, opportunities, and lessons learned from other local artists like Mike Johnson or Phresh Laundry. Last summer, she apprenticed with Alex Hall, participating in projects like the only mural left over from the rain in the sewers.

She says the opportunity to work with established Fort Wayne artists is exciting and she hopes to pass on the same lessons and mentorship to the next generation of Fort Wayne artists.

Realizing the importance of opportunities and connections for artists like her, she launched Last Fridays, a monthly event that highlights local artists and their work. BonJo works with a team of artists, who she describes as “superstars” to present Last Fridays. These collaborations include J. Tubbs, Kelsey “OG Killa Kels” Martin, Raell Holman and Clydia Early.

“Working with black creators is really important because it means so much to work with them and with superstars who are well known and respected, and just for us to understand where we come from and where we can go,” she explains. “This teamwork with them is awesome – beyond awesome. Honestly, it’s more than words can really explain.

Rachel Von Art LLCA portrait of Biggie Smalls by BonJo.The atmosphere last Friday was relaxed and fun. J. Tubbs helps organize this with music, and BonJo and his collaborators always include some sort of creative entertainment, like live collaborative painting or art battles. It’s about creating connections, fostering collaboration, and showing appreciation for fellow creatives. BonJo says that even in her first year, she has already been able to witness this firsthand.

“A lot of people came to the art show not knowing the other artists and now they’re collaborating and that’s what we wanted,” says BonJo. “We wanted the next collaboration to take off. Now everyone is having fun and becoming friends. We’re only just starting. We still have a few shows left for the rest of the year, so I can’t wait to see what artists we get.

Rachel Von Art LLCBonJo rolls his artwork.BonJo says the experiences she was able to showcase her work transformed her career, which is part of why she knows how valuable an event like Last Friday is to local creatives. But her goals go beyond just organizing an event: she wants to help other artists grow and have the ability to support themselves as artists. A big part of it is having the opportunity to show people your work and make connections.

“I was so excited to go out and see my artwork and talk about it with people I don’t know and see how people break it down because art has its own story for every different eye,” says -she. “Having opportunities and being a part of them only strengthens your portfolio. This builds your support system.

As someone who is dedicated to her art and building a career from it, BonJo says she knows the hard work it takes to use her art to support herself.

“If you want to survive and make a living from your art, you have to go hard and it’s not five to nine, it’s twenty-four to seven or twenty-five,” BonJo says. “I started as a painter. I grew up in this profession, but I also want to become a businesswoman in the art world, to be able to live and work from my art.

Rachel Von Art LLCArtist BonJo draws on his iPad.And just as she shares her knowledge with other creatives at Final Fridays, BonJo has no intention of keeping what she learns about being an art entrepreneur to herself. She says her biggest goal at the moment is to open her own gallery, which will give her the opportunity to take young artists under her wing.

“I want to take my artistic activity to the next level. I learn these things so I can teach them to other artists,” she says. “That’s what galleries are looking for. This is how you can become a successful artist and not just a painter. And hopefully just find a way to survive through your art – not just making art as a fun thing.

For herself and for the future of the arts in Fort Wayne, BonJo is hopeful. She says the local art scene is growing and the new generation of artists coming onto that scene is a heavy hitter.

Rachel Von Art LLCLocal artist BonJo in front of her piece “7 Dulce” at the Union Street Market at Electric Works.“The Fort Wayne art scene is growing,” she says. “I’m a part of the growth and I’m excited to continue to provide these opportunities to people and collaborate with others.”

Meet BonJo and explore his art on the next Creator Space event at 6 p.m. on June 27 at the Local Archives or during the next Last Fridays event on June 28.

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