Artwork by Acton Resident Bonnie McGrath Displayed by Emerson Hospital Auxiliary

The Emerson Hospital Auxiliary is displaying the artwork of Bonnie McGrath of Acton through February 2 at the main campus of Emerson Hospital.

McGrath’s connection with Emerson Hospital is a long one: she was born there! As an 8-year-old, McGrath developed and printed black-and-white contact sheets in a small “lab” in the basement of her parents’ home. Upon graduation from Acton High School, she returned to photography at the Massachusetts School of Art (now the Massachusetts College of Art and Design) where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1958. About 10 years ago, she returned to her other passion—watercolor painting. 

Since 1983, McGrath has shown her work at Emerson Hospital (this is her second show), and also at the Marlboro, Bridgewater, Framingham and Concord public libraries. In addition, she has shown at the Fine Arts Festival Theatre Gallery in Maynard, Minuteman Airfield Café in Stow, Atelier 10 Gallery in Maynard, Continental Café in West Acton and Gallery Seven in Maynard.

McGrath is the author/photographer of “Walden Pond, Reflections by Henry David Thoreau,” a classic book that still sells throughout the world. For the past two years, she has produced photographic calendars of Walden Pond.

“There is nothing I’d rather do than paint and shoot images with my camera,” McGrath said. “I search for the odd angle, the magic light, the depth perception of image. I know when I’ve caught the essence of something special the moment I feel a pang in my heart!”