Studio Visit & Interview With Cabure Bonugli
Interview and Photographs by Brandon Joseph Baker
I first met Cabure Bonugli while dropping off art at Rosebud Gallery for the annual fundraising auction for Hospitality House in May of 2024. Cordial, warm and kind, Cabure was thrilled to see my piece and greeted me with a hug. In the year and a half since, I’ve witnessed this same genuine response to almost every artist or visitor to cross the threshold of Rosebud Gallery.
Cabure is a curator and creative who stays busy as a photographer, art collector, plant propagator and rug maker. His most recent tufted rug, ‘Brainiac’ is part of Moth Belly Gallery’s 6th Annual Fundraiser Auction & Group Show. ‘Brainiac’ is a plush brightly colored tufted rug in the shape of a turquoise blue skull with a protruding visible brain reminiscent of the Martians from Mars Attacks.
While taking photo for this interview, Cabure walked me through the process of how to make a tufted rug on the frame. I highly recommend coming into the gallery and seeing his other creations in the back of the gallery which doubles as his studio space. The literal dividing line between Cabure’s creative space and the rest of the gallery is amorphous. While we talk about his work and his background, I realize there is also no clear division between his deep passion for his own creative pursuits and his passion to create a safe space to share other artist’s work.
‘Rosebud was never meant to be a one person operation, but it’s become my baby, something that challenges me, grounds me, and gives so much back to the community and myself,’ Cabure said about the challenge of having a studio inside a working gallery.
The creative energy Cabure brings to the conversation is unmistakable. We rattle off shared commonalities and interests while our conversation darts in and out of topics rapid fire style. ‘My mind is constantly wandering, it never stops! I like to joke that I’m just a vessel for the cosmos to speak through and to channel ideas through. I’m always tossing ideas around, and sometimes a few of them stick.’ Cabure said of his drive to create
He’s sharp and quick witted yet tender. Twice while speaking about the importance of Rosebud and the community around him, I noticed a touch of wistfulness in his eyes. Since opening the gallery in 2024 he said it’s hard to calculate how many artists he’s shown, he puts the estimate at close to 500, if not more per year.
‘I love big shows, the buzz, the energy, the way the space flows when everyone is enjoying each other’s work. The best part is the community it builds and all the amazing people it brings together. I’ve always been a connector of people!’ Cabure said.
Interview
What is the first thing you do when you get into the studio?
Usually when I get to the gallery, the first things I do are turn on all the lights and check the plants to see if any need water. Then I sweep the doorway, and sometimes I’ll sweep the street and pick up any leftover trash lingering from a wild TL night.
Where did you grow up and was art or creative expression part of your childhood?
I grew up in a small town called Bastrop in Texas, about 50 minutes east of Austin. Art was a huge part of my childhood but I wasn’t around many artists. I was always creating and felt different from everyone around me. Every wall in my room was covered in art or clippings of bands from magazines, even the ceiling was covered in art. I always carried a sketchbook with me and was usually doodling something. I would often take pen to my skin and would cover my arm with drawings daily.
What got you interested in tufting rugs?
When the pandemic hit, I lost all my photography work and suddenly we all had nothing but time. I needed something to do that would bring in a little money. I stumbled into tufting. I didn’t realize that it was reconnecting me with my childhood dream of becoming a textile artist. Back then, I wanted to make cool fabrics for shirts or textured wallpapers from patterns that I had created myself.
Does working on rugs from Rosebud Gallery present any unique challenges for you?
Oh absolutely yes! Anyone who knows me or has ever talked with me about the gallery knows I’m really transparent about how it all works. Since Rosebud was started with the help of a grant, I’ve always seen it as a community project, something that exists for and with the people around it. That said, the gallery doesn’t always cover its rent, so the rugs often help keep things afloat.
Thus, I sometimes have to focus on pieces that are quicker to make or more sellable, which means I don’t always get the time to dive into the bigger, more time consuming ideas I have (and there are a lot of them!). It’s tricky, between throwing large group shows, hanging all the art, repairing and painting walls, making flyers, writing copy, emails and keeping the space open on weekends. There’s rarely enough time to make a big creative mess the way I’d love to, and yes, rug making is a very messy job!
How long have you been here at Rosebud Gallery? What was before Rosebud, did you have a previous gallery or space to show or curate work?
Rosebud opened in March 2024. Before this, I did not have a gallery. I was a photographer shooting queer nightlife, doing studio photography when I could and making rugs out of my living room to help pay the bills. I was also dealing with addiction during that time. Creating was one of the few things that kept me grounded. Rosebud became the first place where the different parts of my life in San Francisco finally came together. The rugs, the photography, and the queer community all had a home here. It was the first place that felt like everything had a place to land outside of bar culture.
How would you describe what you want Rosebud Gallery to be for San Francisco?
When I started Rosebud, I thought it would just be a place to create and throw fun parties. But it quickly became clear that it could be so much more. I want Rosebud Gallery to be a place where people feel seen, cared for, and welcomed exactly as they are. A place where stories can be shared safely and honestly, and where voices that are usually overlooked can finally be heard. More than anything, I want Rosebud to feel like love in gallery form, a space where anyone who walks through the door can feel at home.
I’ve watched several people come in to drop off art while we’ve been chatting and each one seems to really resonate and open up to you. I have felt that same welcoming feeling walking into shows here and during this interview. What’s your secret to creating that inviting aura in Rosebud Gallery?
I think the secret is being open, honest, loving, and willing to be vulnerable. I try to really listen to others and tell my truth. When I am honest with people, they usually feel like they can be honest back. A lot of the time people just need to be heard. When I ask how you are, I actually mean it. I want everyone who walks in to feel like they can show up exactly as they are with no judgment, even if they need to unload whatever they are going through. Most of us move through the world feeling alone, but the truth is we are all going through the same things in different ways. Rosebud is a place where people can feel that connection. The deep conversations I often have when I’m at the gallery are grounding and meaningful.
I’ve perceived a joy and delighted wonderment which emanates from you when artists come in to drop off art or while you’re curating a show. Can you tell the readers a little more about where that connection to joy comes from for you?
When I think about art, I think about time. The time it takes for one artist to create a single piece, and then the collective time behind every piece in a show. It feels incredible to stand in a room surrounded by objects that people made simply because they wanted to spend their own personal time creating something! Most of us spend so much of our lives working for a paycheck or giving our time to someone else. So when anyone chooses to use their time to make something and share it with others, that feels so deeply sacred to me! Our time is so precious and it’s so short on this planet.
When you walk into a gallery, try thinking about the hours, days, and even years behind every piece you see. It is a beautiful reminder that our time is short, and that we should slow down long enough to appreciate what people make with the time they have. Time isn't guaranteed.
We discussed how you’ve combated homophobia and bigotry in your art by reclaiming words that were once used against you. What advice or encouragement would you pass onto a fellow artist, or anyone else, who is struggling with bias and discrimination?
I would say that when it comes to words, what really matters is the intention. We get to choose how much power we give those words and there intention. When someone uses slurs or tries to hurt us, it can sting, but the more we accept who we are, love ourselves, and know our worth, the less those words can control us. It’s not always easy but it’s worth it. I want anyone struggling with bias or discrimination to know that they can reclaim their own story and find pride and peace in who they are.
Let’s shift gears, I wanna talk about the bathroom at Rosebud Gallery. What was your inspiration?
My two biggest inspirations for the Rosebud Gallery bathroom are the dark and dingy charm of a typical gay bar bathroom, specifically my favorite San Francisco gay bar - The Hole in the Wall Saloon, with a little touch of my love for plants. I mean, who doesn’t love a good bathroom?!
Another shift in gears - plants, plants, plants, they are all over the back of the gallery and you told me you have even more at your home. What is your favorite plant in your collection? Do you name your plants? Do you have a favorite place to pick up new plants in San Francisco?
I don’t name my plants, I have too many for that! As far as my favorite, that’s a tough question, but I have to admit I’m a sucker for a velvet-leaved philodendron or a long, spindly rhipsalis. If I had to pick a favorite, Philodendron varicosum is pretty high on the list, though I also love a big-leaf anthurium. When it comes to buying plants in San Francisco, my go-to spots are my homegirl Amesia at Botanic Panic in the Mission, Katsura Garden in Japantown, and for the extra special rare or weird ones, Cloud Hidden Plants in North Beach.
Your outlets of creative expression vary from curation, photography, rug weaving and plant care. If you had to pick only one form of expression - do you think you could choose one, what would it be and why?
Oh hell no. That sounds so boring!!! I love learning new things! I get bored so easily and thrive on always doing new things!
What is your take on the DIY art community in The Bay Area?
I am all about DIY. If you have the passion, the drive, and the means to make something happen, I’m fully here for it. Let’s go, let’s support each other and let’s celebrate the creativity people are bringing to life.
What is next for you?
God, who knows what’s next for me!? I don’t usually think too far ahead, I’m always focused on what’s happening right now. That said, I’m looking forward to a little break at the start of 2026 and celebrating Rosebud Gallery’s two-year anniversary in March. If you want to keep up with what’s going on at the gallery, head to rosebudgallery.com and sign up for my mailing list. I send out about one email a month with updates on upcoming shows, and I hope to see everyone smiling in a crowded room at Rosebud Gallery, surrounded by love and beauty.
Cabure Bonugli is showing ‘BRAINIAC’ at Moth Belly Gallery, 912 Larkin Street in San Francisco, during the 6th Annual Fundraiser Auction & Group Show from Thursday November 20th to Saturday November 29th.
