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Jonathan Bonner Obituary
After receiving his MFA in sculpture in 1973 he and his wife, Jacqueline Ott, set up a metal-smithing studio and started their company, Otner Botner. They designed and manufactured Jacqueline's line of jewelry and Jonathan's finger planes for luthiers. They married in 1979.
In the 1980's Bonner introduced weather-vanes as outdoor sculpture. He made almost 200 of these in wild variations. These works were collected and shown throughout the US and in New York City at the Heller Gallery and Convergence Gallery.
In the 1990's, he began a body of work based on mathematics and topology: Klein Bottles and Mobius Strips. These were large scale pieces formed and fabricated in copper using traditional metalsmithing techniques. These elegant sculptures straddled the worlds of high craft and fine art. The work was exhibited at the Peter Joseph Gallery in Manhattan.
In the late 1980's, Bonner began to take on large scale public art commissions. He placed many works in granite and metal across the United States. In Rhode Island, public artworks of note are: "The Holocaust Memorial" in Providence; "Mirth", Rhode Island School of Design Museum; "Gaze", Temple Beth El, Providence; "FollowingRuth", Seekonk MA; "Twin", Fidelity Investments, Smithfield,RI; "XYZ", Wolf School, East Providence; "Metamorphosis", Rhode Island College, Providence.
Bonner's work is in the collection of The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA, The DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA , The Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA , Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY, The Detroit Museum of Arts, Detroit, MI, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian, Washington, DC , American Craft Museum, New York, NY, Museum of Arts and Design, New York, NY, RISD Museum of Art, Providence,RI.
Bonner's work was chronicled multiple times in Sculpture Magazine and Metalsmith Magazine. Adding to this bibliography is the book "Front Pockets".
The book was published to accompany the exhibition of the same name at the R.I.S.D. Museum in Providence in 2001. The exhibition was Bonner's first foray into video and performance and featured objects made with front pants pockets as their stage or site. The book chronicled how Bonner, with deadpan aplomb, performed simple acts of gravity, grace and humor, documented live in video, and in still photography. The exhibition was a generous invitation by Bonner for the public to view his unique sensibility at the peak of his career, and in full stride.
Trademark to all Bonner touched was his keen eye, wicked intelligence, unswerving workmanship and wry wit. Bonner will long be remembered for these qualities transferred to his sculpture, works on paper, and site-specific public commissions in cities across the United States
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His family, friends, and those he touched in his professional life will remember his relentless energy, creativity, inventiveness, generosity and humor.
He is survived by his wife Jacqueline M. Ott, his daughter Ondine O. Bonner, brothers Jeremy and his wife Ann, Andrew and his wife Becky Reese, sister Rebecca Roberts and her husband Christopher Roberts.
A celebration of his life will be held at the First Unitarian Church, 1 Benevolent St., Providence, RI, on Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 10 AM, with a reception to follow.
17 Entries
Lee Silverton
August 27, 2025
Have enjoyed 'Blue Chimney" since 1990! It's been very much a part of our lives....Mike and Lee
James Rayner
January 9, 2025
So sorry to hear Jonathan has passed. He was one of the first people I met in RI. We had the same birthday, had been to same school in UK, and were immediate friends. We had regular music nights at while I lived in Providence, him playing fiddle, me bongos. I'm not sure who else enjoyed the sound but we did. He was a unique individual and will be missed.
Wendy Edwards
December 17, 2024
I attended the Philadelphia College of Art and although I did not know Jonathan or Jacqueline, because they were a few years ahead of me, I would see them around the campus and I thought they were very COOL. :)
Will Green, FASLA
December 16, 2024
I enjoyed working with JB on the Holocaust memorial. He was easy to work with, creative and committed to the project. He was sensitive, empathetic and longed to chat and listen to the stories of the RI Holocaust survivors involved in the project. He was also patient in working, waiting, presenting ideas and helping move this memorial forward. He also had and needed to have a sense of humor throughout this project. He will be missed./
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Robert Whitcomb
December 5, 2024
Jonathan was a star of the group of artists in Providence we knew over the years. And a delightful gent.
Ondine
December 5, 2024
My Favorite Memory of my Dad was when we were in Margaree Harbour Cape Breton for vacation i took the neighbors horse Positano out for a ride and Spartan the other horse who was left behind broke the electric fence ran across the field Posi the horse was freaking out and my dad came to the rescue and ran like the Dickens to get a halter for the horse i had to spend a hour and half fixing the fence with my neighbour another favorite memory of my dad was we were in Cape Breton and we went to a square dance in West mabou the weather was awful it was thundering and lighting so while were dancing the power went out so we ran like the wind to the car and went home
Cristina DiChiera
December 4, 2024
Neal and I send all our love. Jonathan was a lovely human.
Former Student
December 3, 2024
Jonathon Bonner was my favorite professor my first semester of freshman year. I made some of my favorite pieces in his class and his quirks and zany phrases gave our whole section so many laughs and good memories. I will always remember him fondly and I give my condolences to his family.
John Dunnigan and Wendy Wahl
December 3, 2024
Sending love and light from John and Wendy
Magaly Ponce
November 30, 2024
My first memory of Jonathan was seeing his poem/prints, Pooms(?). At the time I was already familiar with Jacqueline's artwork and had met her personally. Integrating humor and playfulness felt like a perfect reflection of his attitude towards life, making it contagious. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. Best, Magaly
Dina Bray
November 30, 2024
A warm, devilishly clever and talented person, Jonathan has been a close friend for over 50 years. No one else we know could deliver a story like Jonathan. He once rescued me when I fell in the Margaree River and was a supportive friend to our son Izaak during his time at RISD.
Our last visit to him was profoundly sad but we were grateful for the opportunity to see him one final time.
Dean Snyder
November 28, 2024
Jonathan and I met through a mutual artist friend. Jonathan and I were in a group exhibition together at the DeCordova Museum back in the 1990´s. I took a photograph of this amazing copper sculpture and sent it to my close friend Martin Puryear as I thought he should know about this artist. It turns out he already did. He sent me Jonathan´s address and phone number and when my wife Jane and I moved to Providence in 2000 for my new job at the Rhode Island School of Design, I called him up during our search for a place to live. He invited us over and four hours later....well we moved nearby and Jonathan and I became fast friends. We met for lunch nearly every Friday for the better part of 23 years to catch up on art, world affairs, fly fishing and Rhode Island gossip.
Yizhak Elyashiv
November 27, 2024
Love and support from Noam and Utzy
Tayo Heuser
November 26, 2024
I frequent the RISD museum on a regular basis and gaze at Jonathan´s beautiful sculpture in the entryway now for years.
Jonathan expressed a unique point of view during varied conversations no matter the subject and inevitably his wit would make you laugh. He will be missed by so many people who loved and admired him.
Hermine Ford Moskowitz
November 26, 2024
My husband Bob Moskowitz and I first met Jonathan and his parents John and Ruth through our mutual friend Bruce Chao. It was all about fly fishing, which Bob had never done before. We had just moved from one location on Cape Breton Island to another, much closer to the famed salmon fishing Margaree River.They took him under their wing and with tremendous warmth and generosity taught him how to fly fish, and so a great friendship was formed, which then grew to include our families and mutual friends.
Christine Kennedy
November 26, 2024
Figuring out that he was the source of Cape Breton fiddle music we heard coming across Morris Avenue.
Hugh Kennedy
November 26, 2024
Wicked intelligence and wry wit are right on the money for Jonathan. He was such an enthusiast for life, always on, and loved Cape Breton Island as so many great artists have. I'll miss his laughter and his endless curiosity.
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