Written by Andrea Mace for The Daily Astorian, Astoria, Oregon, USA

Bonny Gorsuch was making "green" art long before the recycling movement began. The Saint Helens woman's use of found materials began as a child when she used to make clothes for her troll dolls out of bits of felt and trim. "I still have those troll clothes hanging in my studio to remind me that I have always created in this way. I prefer small snippets and scraps rather than yardage," Bonny said. Her studio is a lively environment, organized and yet bursting at the seams with salvaged fabric, old lunch boxes, suitcases, dolls and whatever else might have struck her fancy at a thrift store. Her inspiration comes from all over, the hand-tatted trim on an old piece of fabric, a certain pattern in the dress of a vintage that has seen better days, the plastic sleeves that protect photo slides (which she used to make wallets after placing tiny squares of fabric into each plastic pocket). She has projects in various states of completion all around her; fabric wall hangings that are more assemblage than quilts, mixed media folk art and bags made from old bikinis. "Many of my materials are given to me by friends who know that I will make good use of their donations. I consider myself a folk artist as I am self-taught and use materials that are free or found readily at hand," Gorsuch said of her work. Bonny was born in Hollywood and raised in nearby Manhattan Beach, California. Growing up near the Pacific Ocean was definitely a huge influence on the kind of art she creates. "The casual, laid back attitude of beach kids is one that I still carry with me today. I consider myself very fortunate to have had the upbringing I did, and have the fondest memories of long days in the sun, beach volleyball and riding my Schwinn on the Strand. Fabric is not just Bonny's medium of choice; fabric is her passion. Fabric in every of the rainbow can be found in two rows of laundry baskets in the center of her studio. She uses fabric in her found object assemblages, vintage fabric collages, wearable art, textile banners and art quilts. Her mother, Patricia, can be credited for exposing her daughter to fabrics, textiles and old things in general. "I clearly remember my mother taking me antique shopping in Laguna Beach or Santa Monica as a child; swap meets at drive-in theaters on weekends were a fun mandatory day trip." Necessity is the mother of invention, and that has proven to be true for Gorsuch. "Forever on a budget, I gravitated toward finding affordable materials. My idea of a fun day is thrift store shopping! Soon I began hunting and gathering vintage discards and collectibles to sell in my former retail shops: I found myself loving old and forgotten materials more than new and shiny," she said of her thrift store aesthetic. In addition to working in her studio every day, Bonny has raised two boys, Colour and Stirling. When her children were young, she was able to find a balance between being an artist and a mother by waiting until everyone had gone to bed before retiring to the studio to work on her various projects. "I have pictures of me creating art while holding one of the boys on my lap. I have always tried to squeeze creating into my lifestyle," Bonny said. Bonny has been featured in several national magazines and books including: Alaska Airlines, Altered Couture, Art Quilting Studio, Belle Armoire, Coastal Living, Haute Handbags, Little Thing Magazine, Mary Jane's Farm, Our Coast, Sew Somerset, Surf Collection etc.