10/12/2026
𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 is a weekly celebration of the artists, collectors, educators, students, and supporters who make The Contemporary Dayton (TCD) a vibrant community for contemporary art.
Michele BonDurant
michelebondurant.net
Image: Pelican, 2026, oil and acrylic paint, painted cut paper, magazine images, 36 x 48 inches
𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀.
I constantly look at the everyday things around us: the neighbor's house, a tree, a stack of mandarins. I find it all intriguing and beautiful. This piece grew out of something I saw during a residency in Italy: a hedge with doors in it. When they were opened, it looked like an altar. Italy has many, many altars, so I decided to explore that topic. The pelican is a lesser-known symbol of the Eucharist in the Catholic faith.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗼𝗻?
I believe the arts need support in our community. Creativity makes us come alive. Without a place to see and participate in the arts, our city would feel empty.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗼𝗻?
17 years
𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁, 𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗖𝗗 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂?
Laura Sanders: Force of Nature. This was an absolutely stunning exhibition. The paintings were so well done, and I identified with her subject matter, which considered the complex realities of women.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁, 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁?
I'm investigating altars and the symbolism of the objects placed on them.
𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿?
Your membership at The Contemporary Dayton helps sustain the artists, exhibitions, and programs that make our community thrive—and comes with meaningful benefits along the way. Learn more at codayton.org/support/memberships/
