Artists

Olivia Bonilla

Dallas Gallery

Video Gallery

Olivia Bonilla is a Colombian-American pop art sculptor whose vibrant, larger-than-life works explore the intersection of nostalgia, popular culture, humor, and excess. Known for her oversized confectionary sculptures, including whimsical cupcakes, mega gummy bears, and her signature Cowboy Candy collection, Bonilla transforms familiar symbols of sweetness into playful reflections on indulgence, memory, and the visual language of consumer culture.

Working primarily in sculpture, Bonilla uses unconventional materials such as pigmented cement, resin, assemblage, and automotive finishes to recreate the textures and allure of candy, toys, and nostalgic objects. Through her innovative material exploration, cement is transformed into soft confectionary “fluff,” resin mimics the glossy surface of hard candy, and automotive paint replaces traditional sculpture patinas with luminous, high-impact finishes. These material choices become a storytelling device, creating sculptural experiences that feel both familiar and surreal. Her works are a visual playground where fantasy, humor, and memory collide.

As a first-generation Colombian-American artist, Bonilla draws inspiration from personal experiences, toy culture, and the universal language of nostalgia. Her work examines the idea of a “sugar-coated existence,” using confectionary imagery as a vehicle to explore themes of excess, desire, joy, and satire within contemporary society. By exaggerating scale and transforming everyday treats into monumental forms, she invites viewers to reconnect with memories while questioning the cultural meanings attached to objects of pleasure and consumption.

Bonilla’s continued exploration of materiality has led to the development of her Heart Kandy collection, where she expands her sculptural vocabulary through the use of automotive Kandy paint, airbrushing techniques, tinted resin, and reflective finishes. Named after the translucent “watercolor” quality of Kandy automotive paint, these works are built through layered applications over sparkling silver surfaces, creating rich, glass-like finishes that celebrate color, light, and craftsmanship. The collection embraces jewel tones, neon hues, chrome accents, gold leaf, Art Deco-inspired graphics, and image transfers to create dynamic sculptures that merge luxury, pop culture, and nostalgia.

Her newest Cowboy Candy: “Cut the Fluff” series continues this exploration by blending cinema and toy-culture references with surreal proportions and playful exaggeration. Through these works, Bonilla pushes the boundaries between sculpture and fantasy, creating objects that are simultaneously humorous, nostalgic, and unexpectedly sophisticated.

Bonilla received her BFA in Painting with a minor in Traditional Sculpture from Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. Since beginning her career as an exhibiting artist in 2019, her work has been showcased nationally at galleries including Bill Lowe Gallery and dk Gallery in Atlanta, GA; Anna Sweet Gallery in Key West, FL; Fabrik Projects in Los Angeles, CA; Cerulean Gallery in Dallas, TX; Miller Gallery in Charleston, SC; Art and Light Gallery in Greenville, SC; Mont Art House in Houston, TX; and George Billis Gallery in New York City. She has collaborated with designers and creative platforms including Vestium NY, Furbish Studios, and The Jealous Curator. Her work has been featured in publications such as VOGUE Portugal, SUBOART International Art Magazine, House Beautiful, and Traditional Home, and has appeared in HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones and Magnolia Network’s Keeping Up with the Benkos.

Through her bold use of color, unconventional materials, and playful imagery, Olivia Bonilla continues to redefine pop art sculpture by creating immersive works that make memories tangible and invite viewers into a world where sweetness, satire, and imagination exist side by side.

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Artists

Olivia Bonilla

Dallas Gallery

Video Gallery

Contact Info

ADDITIONAL PARKING AVAILABLE AT HILLTOP HOLDING'S PARKING GARAGE ON DANIEL AVE

Artists

Olivia Bonilla

Dallas Gallery

Video Gallery

Contact Info

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