Passion and Purpose: Jeremiah Jayce Bonine, 18” x 24”, acrylic on canvas, 2024
Passion and Purpose: Jeremiah Jayce Bonine Description:
I am proud to have created a painting of my first cousin’s son, Jeremiah Jayce Bonine. This young 17 year old man is the definition of drive, hustle, determination, kindness, grace, love and promise.
This painting was inspired by a photo I saw of Jeremiah that captured the back of him after he just released a basketball. The blurred out seats and lights, his illuminated figure and muscles, and the relaxed confidence of his hand after having just released the ball, captured him in a moment of flow and concentration. I mentioned to my aunt that the photo would make a great painting and she agreed and asked me to paint him.
What followed turned into a collage of three images of Jeremiah that reflect his dedication to basketball and his unlimited potential.
The largest portrait in the composition is Jeremiah in profile, looking up into the distance. This image of him encapsulates the hope and promise that live within him and his focus on excellence, especially in regards to his love of playing basketball. His upwards gaze also draws the viewers’ eyes up as if they too, can envision his bright future, even without knowing him. This portrait anchors the painting and emphasizes a young man on the brink of stepping into his power and embracing endless opportunities.
The smaller portrait of Jeremiah shows him posed with a basketball, about to shoot. I included this image of him to emphasize that he always has his eyes on the prize and to underscore his dedication to a sport he loves. He currently is on the varsity basketball team at his high school in Boise, Idaho and spends countless hours training in order to be the best version of himself on the court. He does this while also maintaining a 4.0 grade average and working part-time as a lifeguard. When asked to explain why he excels at everything, his friends simply answer, “because he’s just him”.
This smaller figure also leads the viewers’ eye to the other portrait in this triad which is the image of Jeremiah with his back to the viewer after just having made a shot. The graceful position of his hand and muscular shoulder and arm emphasize his athleticism and poise under pressure. It also intrigues the onlooker because you only get to see the back of him and it sparks curiosity towards him and the direction of his gaze. The red jersey also attracts the eye and establishes him as an important figure in the composition, despite the smaller portrait size.
I painted blurred orbs of orange lights halfway down the canvas to mimic the lights of a basketball stadium as well as the figures that are in it. The overhead yellow-orange lights that frame the largest portrait provide balance to the composition and also create a second triad, with the orange basketball below being the bottom point. The blue background hints at other subtle overhead lights and gives the atmosphere an ethereal quality that contributes to the sense of promise that Jeremiah holds and the idea that his future is in the hands of a higher power. The soft white light beaming in from the upper right hand corner helps communicate this idea.
Although we live in different countries and I haven’t seen Jeremiah since he was two years old, I felt a strong connection to his spirit when I was painting him. I was able to infuse his portraits with energy because of the stories my aunt has told me about Jeremiah and through the beautiful photos she gave me to work with. I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to paint this enigmatic young cousin of mine.
I look forward to connecting with Jeremiah in person soon and I can’t wait to see what his future holds. “He’s just him”, and that alone means the sky’s the limit.