Bonnie Randall Boller, a beloved mother, artist, teacher, and community leader, passed away peacefully on November 9, 2024, at the age of 80. Bonnie’s remarkable life was dedicated to the pursuit of creative expression, the fostering of artistic talent, and the support of her local art community.

Born on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1944, on the island city of Alameda, California, Bonnie grew up by the water on Marina Drive. She attended Alameda public schools and graduated from California State University, East Bay. She taught public elementary school for two years and lived her entire life in Alameda.
Bonnie revered her hometown and was a driving force in the city’s art scene. A strong advocate for women in the arts, Bonnie co-founded and served as the president of both Alameda Women Artists and the Island Alliance of the Arts. In 2011, Bonnie was a recipient of the Alameda County Arts Leadership Award. Her volunteer efforts also extended statewide, and she served on boards for the California Society of Printmakers and the Association of Clay and Glass Artists.
As an educator, Bonnie touched the lives of countless children, adults, and seniors by teaching ceramics, clay printing, and encaustic art. She taught art in public schools and private art studios, including her own, Clay Art Center. For 13 years, she taught ceramics to seniors at Mastick Senior Center, a program of the Alameda Recreation and Park Department.
Her artistic journey spanned over four decades, and Bonnie continually reinvented her artistic approach. From her early work in ceramics to her later explorations in printmaking, encaustic painting, and mixed media, Bonnie’s work always came with a unique vision, one inspired from within. Her art features vibrant colors, simple forms, and layers of emotional and spiritual meaning. Her art can be viewed on her website, www.bonnieclayart.com.
Bonnie celebrated 46 years of sobriety on November 1, 2024, and she was a weekly supporter and unwavering source of inspiration to many in Alameda’s recovery community.
Bonnie is survived by her sons Greg and Rob, sister Karen, brother-in-law Jim, their families, and a host of long-time friends. Her final resting place will be next to her parents, Margaret and Bev Randall, and her longtime partner, Lorne Gould, at Mountain View Cemetery in the hills of Oakland overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Her family and friends will celebrate her legacy at a two-month exhibition of her life’s work at Rhythmix Cultural Works in Alameda in February and March. The opening reception is on Thursday, February 6, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. RSVP is recommended at www.rhythmix.org.
Bonnie often said, “Art is about the process of creation more than the finished product.” Bonnie’s life was about humility, continual learning, exploration, and connection. Her legacy will live on in her art and in the many lives she touched.