Heritage Open Days 2020
Lesley Bonner
Lesley Bonner was born in 1954.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Lesley was one of the Community Visual Artists for the Milton Keynes Development Corporation.
Lesley was a member of the Silbury Art Group, based at Westbury Farm, Milton Keynes.
Lesley Bonner was born in 1954.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Lesley was one of the Community Visual Artists for the Milton Keynes Development Corporation.
Lesley was a member of the Silbury Art Group, based at Westbury Farm, Milton Keynes.
All or Nothing (Date unknown) Wood Relief and paint, Lesley Bonner
‘All or Nothing’ is a relief carved into wood, currently the only work of its kind in the collection.
The intricacy of the technique and the delicacy of the feathers seem at odds with the material and the patterned angular forms in the rest of the image. The symbolism perhaps a metaphor for the balance between architecture, nature and art within Milton Keynes, that the artist was working so closely with, on public sculptures across the New Town during the 1970s and 80s.
In the same corridor as ‘All or Nothing’ you can also see work by other artists from the Silbury Art group – Alexandra Leadbeater and Diana Winkfield.
The intricacy of the technique and the delicacy of the feathers seem at odds with the material and the patterned angular forms in the rest of the image. The symbolism perhaps a metaphor for the balance between architecture, nature and art within Milton Keynes, that the artist was working so closely with, on public sculptures across the New Town during the 1970s and 80s.
In the same corridor as ‘All or Nothing’ you can also see work by other artists from the Silbury Art group – Alexandra Leadbeater and Diana Winkfield.
About the Artist
A member of the Silbury Art Group, based at Westbury Farm, Milton Keynes, Lesley is best known in Milton Keynes for her public artworks, often created in collaboration with the local community.
In the 1970s and 1980s, she was one of the Community Visual Artists for the Milton Keynes Development Corporation. She worked on many art projects with local communities on the new estates, particularly around the Beanhill area.
Lesley worked on the sculpture of the Tin Man with Liz Leyh, resident artist for Milton Keynes Development Corporation and creator of the ‘Concrete Cows’. When the iconic concrete cows were beheaded (as one of a long list of 'pranks' they have endured over the years), Lesley was called in to rebuild them, and continued to be called on to look after them for years until sturdier replicas were made by fellow hospital collection artist Bill Billings.
In 1979 she worked with Beanhill residents and volunteers in Milton Keynes to create concrete toadstools sited on that estate.
A few years later Lesley was commissioned to create the giant Griffin in the Eaglestone play area.
Other artists from the Silbury Group whose work features in the hospital collection are Alexandra Leadbeater, Diana Winkfield and Simon Tipping.
Office
Arts for Health Milton Keynes
Facilities Directorate
Milton Keynes Hospital
Standing Way
Eaglestone
Milton Keynes
MK6 5LD
Privacy Policy
Arts for Health Milton Keynes
Facilities Directorate
Milton Keynes Hospital
Standing Way
Eaglestone
Milton Keynes
MK6 5LD
Privacy Policy
Arts for Health Milton Keynes is the working name of MK Arts for Health charity number 1107625 company number 05137693