About the Artist
Bonnie Zhou is a Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist working in neon, glass, calligraphy and painting. Her art serves the singular higher purpose of becoming more herself.
Born in Toronto to a traditional Chinese family and having spent her twenties in an unsatisfying corporate career, Bonnie uses art to explore what it means to expand, take up space, and express who you truly are. Her art reflects on many facets of this journey — whether it's coming to terms with her body and sexuality as a woman, getting honest about growing up in an immigrant Asian family, or audaciously owning her neurodivergence. Often called a "magpie" by her friends, Bonnie's work uses intentionally eye-catching mediums and techniques that are as varied as her never-ending list of fascinations.
My story
As a kid, I spent all my free time jumping from one creative outlet to the next: singing, DIY fashion, bedroom decor, crochet, pottery, stained glass, photography, and dance. But my Asian immigrant family urged me to pursue only STEM fields, so I never thought of myself as an artist. I ended up getting a degree in computer science and working as a software engineer.
After 6 years of trying my damnedest to be happy with a corporate tech career, I burnt out. A leave of absence granted me time to explore my creativity again, so I took up drawing for the first time in 2 decades. Spending my days making art was a freedom that I couldn’t return from. At the end of my leave in 2022, I resigned from my job to pursue a new career as an artist.
In the following year, I would create a collection of figure paintings and art prints, which sold successfully online and in-person. This gave me the confidence to explore other more niche forms of art. I fell in love with Chinese calligraphy, glasswork, neon bending, and typography. Knowing me, this list will probably continue to evolve! I will forever be a multi-passionate being and I'm so happy you're here to share this chaotic, creative journey with me.
Some fun facts
💖 I'm a Scorpio sun/Leo moon/Aquarius rising
💖 I speak Cantonese fluently, and one day hope to also read Chinese fluently.
💖 My pandemic hobby was collecting and modeling luxury lingerie.
💖 I've been vegetarian since 2013.
💖 My first and deepest love is, and will always be, dance. It saved me.
💖 I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 28, which explained so much.
💖 My favourite icebreaker is fuck, marry, kill: bread, rice, or noodles? My answer: marry rice, fuck bread, kill noodles.
