MEET

OLIVIA BONILLA

Olivia is a Pop Art sculptor known for her not so edible iconic confectionary representations. She received her BFA in painting with a minor in traditional sculpture from Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. 

Olivia has been an exhibiting artist for the past decade, sustaining a long representation record with galleries throughout Texas and the Southeast.

In 2024 Olivia received the Emerging Artist Grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission and since has been a featured on the set of HBO's Righteous Gemstones and Magnolia network's Keeping up with the Benkos. 

She has received global attention—her work has been featured in VOGUE Portugal, international art magazine SUBOART, and she has exhibited with the Michelangelo Foundation for their biennial exhibition Homo Faber: Celebration of Life.  

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR WORK THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT EXPECT?

In this body of work I use a variety of automotive paints and finishes. All of the hearts and the plans are actually made with a transparent automotive pigment over a silver base color. These paints are called Kandy paint (the watercolor of automotive paint)

Most all of my work is casted Hydrocal, a substrate of plaster. Hydrocal can be sanded to a smooth flawless finish. Layers of resin help with durability during the the next round of sanding and I continue to process all in preparation for paint.

My process for most of my automotive painted pieces are very similar to that of prepping a car.

What do you hope people will take away from your work?

An invitation for a closer look! Curiosity of how it’s made and a conversation of playful energy.

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