Today we’d like to introduce you to Bonne Bedingfield .
Bonne, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I stumbled into the world of cakes by accident roughly 14 years ago. I am a classically trained painter with a degree in fine art. After graduation, I jumped right into the art field and took over an art studio previously owned by my mother in law. I taught art lessons for a few years and participated in Art Shows in southwest Atlanta. After learning of my pregnancy with my first child, I temporarily retired my paintbrush due to the toxic nature of oil paints. I was looking for another artistic outlet and started baking. I enjoyed it to a degree but fell head over heels when I made my first sculpted cake (Nemo) for my niece. I knew, without a doubt, it was a calling and pursued it wholeheartedly.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I consider myself to be an edible artist. I thrive on creating cakes and edible sculptures that are outside of the mainstream. There is a lot of information available to those of us who sculpt cakes. Chances are if you search long enough you will find someone who has done it as well as their process. The cakes that are the most difficult and rewarding for me are the ones where I am unable to find that information and have to rely on my intuition. There something in my nature that thrives on creating a piece where the odds are stacked against me. There are so many factors that can go wrong in the process – whether it’s structure, skill, timing (the cake part happens at the last minute), or even humidity – these are all potential for catastrophe. When all of these elements work in unison, and you nail it, the payoff is incredible. That is the origin of my “why.”
The Lady based off of Dustin Poché’s “Old Bat” is a perfect example of this.
Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
I consider myself extremely fortunate to have grown up in a family who supports and nourishes an artistic mind. I was never told that I could not make a living being creative with my talents. My father is a successful political cartoonist turned sculptor and painter. My sister is an art teacher and hugely talented. She specializes in watercolor and pencil work. My brother is also an award-winning oil painter and has made much success in his career as a fine art artist. (Side note: he was also my high school art teacher!) And my mom – she isn’t an artist, per se, but she is immensely creative and is the one, still to this day, who nourishes our growth as artists. She is the reason for our success.
I was always told, since I was very little, to find something that I loved and aspire to be the very best at it. This has become my mission and is perfect advice for anyone.
A slow lesson for me to learn was to believe in my craft enough to turn it into a successful business. The idea of merging art and business was something that made me very uncomfortable and was a source of doubt for me. I always joke that I was only born with the right side of my brain – being business minded is not something that comes naturally to me. I spent many years believing that turning my art into a functional business was a pipe dream. I finally woke up one day and took action when I came to the realization that I would rather fail than never try.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Aside from social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and my website, I like to do a showpiece cake annually at our family’s fine art gallery in downtown Newnan – The Boyd Gallery. Each year hundreds of people flood the downtown area for the Fall Artwalk where artists set up through the town to display their work. It is one of my favorite events in Newnan. I like to create a showstopper and do something that is well out of my comfort zone. It’s always such a great experience to hear people say, “that’s cake?!”, Or to watch their faces as I make the first cut. It’s true motivation for me. Often times I don’t experience the first look or the first cut. A question I’m asked often is whether or not it bothers me to cut into my creations. My answer is absolutely not. I want my work to be enjoyed with ALL of the senses. That’s what makes it so special.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.beautifullybakedbybonne.com
- Email: beautifullybakedbybonne@gmail.com
- Instagram: @beautifullybakedbybonne
- Facebook: Www.facebook.com/beautifullybakedbybonne
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
