Life & Work with Janelle Bonfour-Mikes of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Janelle Bonfour-Mikes.

Hi Janelle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m an interdisciplinary artist, educator, administrator with a background in visual art, durational performance, and dance. I earned my MFA from CCAD and my BFA in Dance and Choreography from OU.
After undergrad, I spent time in Nashville, where I worked as the Assistant Director of an arts nonprofit focused on STEAM education in public middle schools. Our work explored how integrating the arts into classrooms could impact student engagement, attendance, and academic performance. I developed curriculum, built programs, and tracked outcomes. I’ve always been interested in both the creative and structural sides of this work.
While I was there, I also started an experimental arts collective focused on bringing unconventional, sometimes “weird” work into spaces where people wouldn’t normally expect it. That experience really shaped how I think about audience-building; expanding who feels invited into art spaces and challenging the idea that art has to be inaccessible or intimidating.
Since moving to Columbus in 2017, I’ve worked across a range of roles, from public school teaching to managing retail spaces, all while maintaining an active studio practice centered in durational performance and photography.
At the core of my work is a belief that artists need both creative freedom and meaningful structural support in order to sustain their practice.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I wouldn’t call it a smooth road. I’ve had my share of ups and downs along this road that led to my dream job. While living in Nashville in my 20s, I really idealized the ‘rockstar’ style of living. I realized that was not a sustainable way to live. I left Nashville and got sober went to grad school and received my MFA in visual art. After that, I just chugged along maintaining an active studio practice and finally after years of hard work it paid off and I found my dream job.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As an artist working across a range of disciplines, my practice is dedicated to capturing the ephemeral moments that define our experiences. My work frequently integrates autobiographical elements through performance and installation, delving into themes such as trauma, mental health, sexual agency, and domesticity. These explorations are designed to challenge and engage audiences with complex and often uncomfortable subjects, frequently reflecting a feminist perspective that encourages deeper reflection.

I use cyanotype to transcend traditional visual representation, aiming to capture the essence of a moment in a more profound way. This process allows me to embody the full sensory experience—the gentle caress of the wind, the penetrating strength of the sun, and the relentless flow of my thoughts. By focusing on natural landscapes and phenomena, I invite viewers to pause and find stillness amid the often overwhelming pace of modern life.

To me, art is a powerful tool for making the invisible visible. It sheds light on our internal emotions and the subtle beauty that resides in everyday experiences, providing a means to explore and express the complexities of human existence.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
As an artist, I think everything I do and create is risk. I don’t shy away from experimenting. This also includes the way I think about my position as Executive Director of Wild Goose Creative. Risk is literally part of our mission. I think its important for me to create a space that welcomes experimentation and trying new things, finding strength in the vulnerability of not knowing. We won’t know what sticks until we try it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.janellebonfour-mikes.net and www.wildgoosecreative.org
• Instagram: @joeyoffthedeepend @wildgoosecreative