GINGER SLONAKER, ARTIST

Ginger Slonaker grew up in Washington, DC, and after spending several years in the Netherlands, now lives and works in the Bay Area.  Art critics have often described Slonaker’s art as “whimsical yet twisted”.  Like a venus flytrap, her use of bright colors and surrealistic proportions attract the viewer’s attention. Only once caught are they exposed to the darker themes below the surface. More serious themes of dysfunction and injustice arise, partly obfuscated by playful composition. Slonaker holds a BFA and MFA in illustration from the University of Arizona, has been shown in exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe, and currently spends most of her time painting and teaching art to children.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I’m a daydreamer. I can't not focus on the shapes in clouds, marble, stains on the sidewalk, and other random things. When I begin a piece of art, I usually scribble on a surface and then find hidden faces and figures within. This step can be very amusing as portraits and animals vie for attention and relevance. It’s not until the work is finished that I understand how these unlikely pairings and strange proportions come together to reveal a message; a reflection of my own life’s issues and events around me.