Bonnie Ora Sherk is an American landscape architect, planner, educator, international artist, and founder of "The Farm" and "A Living Library." Sherk is a professional artist who exhibits her work in museums and galleries around the world. Her work has also been published in art books, journals, and magazines.
Sherk is a developer of a systemic, place-based approach to environmental transformation and education which links systems - biological, cultural, technological. Integrated with such innovations, like Green-Powered Digital Gateways, Sherk's approach incorporates interdisciplinary, standards-based, hands-on learning, community ecological planning and design, and state-of-the-art communications and technologies. Sherk's goal is to integrate local resources: human, ecological, economic, historic, technological, and aesthetic - seem through the lens of time - to make relevant ecological transformations, which are integrated with hands-on learning opportunities and community programs.
Sherk will be participating in the 2017 Venice Biennale, Viva Arte Viva, May 13 - November 16, 2017.
In an interview with Peter Cavagnaro, Sherk shares her love and passion for the environment. She believes that the environment is a "beautiful" and "diverse" place and that it is the most practical place for art and to create transformation, because it has the ability to reach communities near and far.
A Living Library was Sherk's work that consisted of transforming buried urban streams and asphalted public spaces into thriving art gardens. She transformed these spaces in order to build education centers for children in communities in San Francisco and New York City.
Public Lunch was one of Sherk's most well-known performance pieces. The piece consisted of Bonnie eating lunch in cages with various animals, such as lions and tigers, at the San Francisco Zoo. She did this on a Saturday at 2pm, during normal feeding time and prime spectator watching.
2013-14 : Metabolic Studio of Annenberg Foundation - Branch Living Library & Think Parks
2012-13 : SF Public Utilities Commission – Branch Living Library & Think Parks
2012-16 : California Strategic Growth Council – Living Library Nature Walk
2009 : San Francisco Foundation – Capacity Building
2009-14 : RIOC – Roosevelt Island Living Library at PS/IS 217
2002-16 : DCYF- Multiple Year Grants for SF Branch Living Library Programs
2007-12 : California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection for Bernal Heights Living Library & Think Park Nature Walk
2006 : Appointed by SF Board of Supervisors to SF Urban Forestry Council
2005 : San Francisco Foundation for South Bernal Heights Living Library
2003 : California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection for OMI/Excelsior Living Library & Think Park
2003 : The Ford Foundation for OMI / Excelsior Living Library & Think Park (San Francisco) and Roosevelt Island Living Library & Think Park (NYC) Programs
2002-07 : Mayor’s Office of Children, Youth, and Families for OMI / Excelsior & South Bernal Heights Living Library & Think Park Programs
2002-04 : Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Beautification for OMI / Excelsior Living Library & Think Park
2002 : SF Art Commission for OMI / Excelsior Living Library & Think Park
2002 : SF Mayor’s Office of Community Development to develop Conceptual Master Plan for South Bernal Heights Living Library & Think Park
2001 : SF Mayor’s Office of Community Development to develop Conceptual Master Plan for OMI / Excelsior Living Library & Think Park
2000 : Named a Laureate of the Smithsonian Institution for A Living Library
2000 : A Living Library becomes part of the permanent research collection of Smithsonian's Museum of American History and featured on the Smithsonian Computerworld Website
2000 : A Living Library & Life Frames, Inc. nominated for Smithsonian Computerworld Award in the category of "Environment, Energy, & Agriculture" by Steve Jobs of Apple Computers, Inc.
2000 : San Francisco Beautiful Grant - OMI / Excelsior Living Library & Think Park
1999 : Named "Outstanding Healing Artist of the Arts & Healing Network for the Year 2001" by Marion Rockefeller Weber, Founder & Director, Arts & Healing Network
1999 : Miranda Lux Foundation - OMI / Excelsior Living Library & Think Park
1999 : Potrero Nuevo Fund of the Tides Foundation - OMI / Excelsior Living Library & Think Park Program
1996-97 : San Francisco Foundation Grant - Civic Center Living Library Project
1996-97 : Columbia Foundation Grant for Civic Center Living Library Project
1996 : "Biennial Honor Award, ASLA, l995 (Northern California Chapter) - "Building & Community" - for Guadalupe Gardens Master Plan, San Jose. Member Design Team with Tito Patri
1993 : Member design team, St. Vincent's/Silveira Ranch, New Sustainable Living `Learning Community As A Life Frame, San Rafael, California, 3rd place, National Competition
1987 : Redesign of Todos Santos Plaza- Concord, Ca. National Competition, Runner-Up Winner. Collaboration with Mark Bunnell, ASLA
1980; 1975 : NEA Individual Artist's Fellowships
1975-79 : CAC Grants
1977 : San Francisco Tomorrow Environment Award
1976-79 : NEA Grants: Expansion Arts, Architecture & Environmental Arts, City Spirit, Visual Arts
1974-80 : Numerous Foundation Grants for THE FARM
1975-79 : California Arts Council Project Grants
1973 : San Francisco Art Commission Merit Award
1970 : MADEMOISELLE MAGAZINE Woman of the Year Award
1970 : San Francisco Museum of Modern Art SECA Award
