Bonnie Redifer posing next to her artwork ‘Bald Eagle’ at the Yamhill County Fair Artshow.

Bonnie Redifer has been entering artwork into the Yamhill County Fair Art Show for the past three years. Three years in a row, she has been awarded the first-place prize. This year, Bonnie entered three drawings into the contest.

This year’s entries are titled ‘Bald Eagle,’ ‘Lion’ and ‘Girl with Dog.’ ‘Bald Eagle’ is Bonnie’s main entry and is the one she worked on specifically for the Art Show this year. ’Lion’ and ‘Girl with Dog’ Bonnie completed in past years but cleaned up and put them in frames to be entered into the contest.

All three entries were awarded first-place ribbons in their respective categories.

MV Advancements began supporting Bonnie to work, live and thrive when we opened our first group home in McMinnville. The home Bonnie lived in was the first and only group home in the state of Oregon at the time. She also worked at Wood Products in Amity for many years and later at Freelin Wade.

Today, Bonnie lives in her own apartment and receives support through our Supported Living Program (SLP). Bonnie’s SLP team encouraged her to enter her artwork into the County Fair.

“MVA helped get me into the fair,” Bonnie said. “I didn’t think I would win anything, but I ended up winning.”

Bonnie grew up on a farm in Hermiston, Oregon, and was not interested in art at a young age. She was preoccupied with playing outdoors and raising animals. It wasn’t until her father passed away in 1963 and Bonnie found his old sketchbooks, that she became interested. She discovered that her father had artistic talent and decided to try it out herself.

“I use pencils, charcoal, ink pens, and not regular pencils because they don’t work as well,” Bonnie said. “If I’m doing something with ink it’s for something in the picture I want to highlight.”

Bonnie uses these materials to draw animals she raised growing up, sketch cartoons like Charlie Brown and Tweety Bird, and portraits. She mostly does portraits to give away as gifts. She did a portrait of her mother as a gift to her sister, and a portrait of our founder, Margaret Reavis Larsen, for MV Advancements.

“I work on my drawing when I feel like it,” Bonnie said. “Sometimes it takes not that long, and sometimes it takes a long time.”

Art isn’t Bonnie’s only passion. She is also a collector of rare coins and bills. A friend of Bonnie’s, who used to work at Wood Products with her, introduced Bonnie to Denny Magden’s Coin Shop in McMinnville. She has been volunteering as an appraiser there for more than 20 years.

“Everybody is good, and I enjoy working with everybody there and all the crazy things we’ve done together,” Bonnie said.

Congratulations to Bonnie on the awards for her artistic talents! MV Advancements is proud to support Bonnie to live, work, and thrive. She is living her best life, and you could help other people achieve what Bonnie has by supporting MVA.