Artist Statement:
As a creature of emotion, I continue to be inspired by the sky and its endless, ever-changing expressions. Its color transitions, temperatures, shapes, cloud formations and sheer vastness has always captured my imagination and drawn my focus. The sky's ability to influence emotions is what fascinates me. Its hold on the land and everything it hovers over continues to drive my obsession. In my current work I continue to explore and stretch the boundaries of traditional subject matter and painting techniques by simplifying and deconstructing the subject matter down to its basic forms, shapes and colors (sometimes almost to it's abstract) with a typical painting tool called the palette knife all the while still maintaining an emotional and personable edge to each piece.
Description of Blue Bounty which will be featured in Mitchell Albala's upcoming book 'Landscape Painting: Essential Concepts and Techniques for Plein Air and Studio Practice' [Random House/Watson Guptill, Nov. 09]:
Every landscape painter aspires to capture the luminosity of landscape light in his or her paintings. The brilliance of real light cannot be imported into paintings directly, so artists apply various color strategies that serve as a substitute, that create a convincing illusion of natural light. In Blue Bounty, Bowman uses many of the essential strategies discussed in this chapter. His color scheme incorporates the three primaries, red, yellow, and blue; however, blue is the dominant or "ruling" hue. He is able to unify these primary colors by making sure than each one contains a little bit of the other. The bright yellow-orange part of the cloud has a tiny bit of blue in it, while the violet underside of the cloud has some warmer yellows and reds. The explosive brilliance at the top of the cloud is achieved through several types of contrast. First, the yellow-orange appears more intense because it is surrounded by less intense (duller) colors. Second, it is much lighter in value that the surrounding colors. Third, there is a complementary relationship between the yellow-orange and the blue-violet hues in the darker underside; and fourth, the colors shift in temperature as they transition from light to dark. Paint handling also has an effect on the perception of color. Rather than using brushes to create fine blends in this "soft" subject, Bowman uses a palette knife. "The knife permits a stroke that is less influenced by the colors below," he says, "allowing me to mix colors on the canvas in a smoother way."
Recent Quote:
"The breathtaking sky-scapes of Rich Bowman are likely to linger in your conscious much longer that the actual clouds in the sky. There is a distinct beauty and familiarity about his work that strikes a chord with the viewers no matter where they've grown up or where they live. Bowman's work is universal. This exhibition, show chases many of his newest works which reveal the layers of his magical compositions. The broad sweep of his skies is compelling and these works must be seen in person to be truly appreciated."
American Art Collector Magazine, March 2007
Born: 4/15/69 6:20 p.m. (sunset) Sherman, TX.
Currently lives in Kansas City, Mo.
Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Kansas City Art Institute, May 91
Exhibition:
2009 Group show, Bonner David Galleries. Scottsdale, AZ
2008 One man show, Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2007 Two man show, Meyer Gallery, Park City, Utah
2007 Two man show, Howard/Mandville Gallery, Seattle, WA
2007 Best of the Best, Group show, Bonner David Galleries. Scottsdale, AZ
2006 One man show, The Blue Gallery Kansas City, MO
2006 One Man show, Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2006 Group show, Bonner David Galleries. Scottsdale, AZ
2006 Group show, Love of the Land, Howard/Mandville Gallery, Kirkland, WA
2006 One man exhibition, The Meyers Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
2005 Emerging Artist exhibition, Bennett Street Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2005 One man exhibition, The Meyers Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
2005 One man show, Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2004 One man show, The Blue Gallery Kansas City, MO
2004 Two man show at The Meyer Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
2003 Two man show at The Blue Gallery, Kansas City, MO
2000 E-4 Corporate Art Exhibition, Overland Park, KS
2000 Crit Group Show, Shiraz Gallery, Kansas City, MO
1999 Crit Group Show, Shiraz Gallery, Kansas City, MO
1999 Solo Show, Shiraz Gallery, Kansas City, MO
Permanent Installations:
Mediflex, Kansas City
Akin, Gump LLP, Dallas TX
Weil, Gotshal & Manges. New York, NY
Shook, Hardy and Bacon LLP, Kansas City
Overland Park Community Center
Spine & Specialty Hospital-Shawnee Mission, KS
The Intercontinental Hotel-Kansas City, MO
Enturia, Inc.-Leawood, KS
National Center for Drug Free Sports-Kansas City, MO
Husch Blackwell Sanders Law Firm-Kansas City, MO
Schlotzky's Inc., Austin TX.
Aurther Bryant's Restaurant, Station's
Awards:
Voted 2005 best visual artist in Kansas City by KC Magazine
Society of Illustrators 35, 1994
Society of Illustrators 34, 1993
Kansas City Art Directors Association, Gold medal, painting,1992
Society of Illustrators Student 33, 1992
Publications:
American Art Collector 45, July 09, pg130-133
Southern Living magazine, Feb 08
Design NJ magazine, New Jersey, June/July 07
Winter Count, Poems by Connie Dover (cover art) -March 07
American Art Collectors, Collectors preview for up coming show -March 07
American Art Collectors, Featured Artist -May 06
KC Magazine, Best visual artist in KC- Sept. 05
Southwest Art magazine cover - Apr 04
Southwest Art magazine - Oct 01
Kansas City Home magazine - Mar 00
Southwest Airlines magazine - Jun 97
United Airlines magazine - Feb 97
Kansas City Star - Nov 96
Mondavi wines - Aug 96
Society of Illustrators - 94, 93, 92
