Falling Water, 20 x 20 inches, oil on canvas. Hook & Ladder No. 8, 20 x 10 inches, oil on canvas.
B
OWMAN is an admirer of the Expressionist movement
and artists like Picasso and Matisse, and his work
has a lighthearted, emotive quality. E.L. Kirshner,
a founding member of the Die Brucke group and
instrumental figure in the Expressionist move-ment,
once stated, “Everyone who renders directly
and honestly whatever drives him to create is one
of us.” In each of Bowman’s compositions, the attentive viewer learns
something about the artist and his personality, as well as the space he
depicts.
This is evident in pieces like “Hook and Ladder No. 8,” depicting the
Manhattan Firehouse made famous by the cult classic “Ghostbusters,”
and “Falling Water,” showcasing the iconic Pennsylvania home
designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
“Falling Water” captures the movement and mist of the small water-fall
at the base of the structure through moody, atmospheric paint
application and imbues the scene with a brighter, more enthusiastic
tone than it has in person. “Hook and Ladder No. 8” utilizes shades of
pink and pale purple, shrinking the perspective of the image such that
depth of field and background imagery are piled on top of each other.
The lines have a sketchy quality, reaching centimeters beyond the cor-ners
they create. Both demonstrate Bowman’s tongue-in-cheek sense
of humor, passion for the quirky details that make a building unique,
and joyful relationship to the painting process.
Bowman has a distinct and intellectual relationship to art and is
well versed in conversations about originality and reproduction. He
describes his work as both derivative and original, referring specifically
to Picasso’s practice of incorporating and advancing the techniques
of other artists. This recalls the phrase often, and perhaps incorrectly,
attributed to Picasso that, “Good artists copy, great artists steal,” mean-ing
that an artist should make studied techniques his or her own, not
merely recreate them.
This interest connects to his hope that viewers will be able to
relate to and interpret his work in a way that is meaningful to them.
Bowman’s wife, Colleen Reilly, is a professor of English at University of
North Carolina Wilmington and often appreciates aspects of his paint-ings
that he is displeased with.
“She is all about the words and I’m all about the pictures,” he laughs,
“but she really is my biggest fan.”
Bowman’s paintings are a notable combination of sincerely cel-ebratory
and teasingly humorous, and invite the viewer to stop and
think.
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WBM june 2018