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ARTIST STATEMENT:
From a land of fog, fir forests, and formidable amounts of rain, Sara Bowers moved to Australia in 2003, and was struck by the beauty of survival in an often parched, barren land. It has come to be a representative metaphor of many personal perseverances for her. In the last few years, she has dedicated much of her artistic focus to an awareness, response, and examination of the Australian landscape as it relates to her life.
Recent works address environmental concerns in relation to consumerism and misuse of resources, as well as personal reflections on inner growth, release and survival as they relate to similarities of such ideas in natural phenomena.
Sara’s work centers on the representation of subtleties and sensuousness of colour, shape and texture. It attends to elements of light, form and shadow as qualities of nature that occur in the Australian lansdscape as they do nowhere else. Her pieces frequently focus on the essense of illumination, and on changes and effects of weather, time, and seasons, and in natures process and progress of birth, growth and rest. Her work balances geometric shapes with organic forms and materials, in response to the balance of urban with rural, and of the fragility of death with the abundance of life.
These themes and inspirations are often integrated into sculptural pieces of stone, timber and found objects, many of which are lit as either standing or hanging “illumination sculptures.” Her paintings are mixed media on board or canvas, which commonly involve a process of stripping back then reapplying layers of paint, charcoal and graphite.
Sara’s professional work as a graphic designer and training in photography have helped shaped her use of media and light in her fine art. In addition, formal training in America, Europe, and Australia in the areas of art, architecture, and design have broadened her perspectives on conceptualisation, and use of colour and structure.
Her art does not seek to impose or improve upon a natural object (as that would be an impossible task), nor does it attempt to explain the whole of “Nature”, even within a defined region or perspective. She does not try to emulate nature, but Instead aims to capture it’s essence, the energy of its creation, the perfect natural chaos of various stages of life, growth and decay. Her desire is to tell the story she thinks it would have her tell - to pass on and share an encounter with it’s beauty and the subtlety of it’s soul.
Born 1978 Portland Oregon, USA
SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY, Seattle, WA, USA
1996 - 2000 | B.A. in Fine Art and Design (grad. with honours) Recipient of 1999 Fine Arts Grant
THE ART INSTITUTE OF SEATTLE, Seattle, WA, USA
1999 - 2000 | Diploma in Design, (grad. with honours)
EUROPEAN STUDY PROGRAM, Italy and France
1997 | Study focus in art, culture and artchitecture.
PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIES COLLEGE, Melbourne VIC
2004 - 2005 | Traditional and creative techniques in colour and BW darkroom.
EXHIBITIONS, selected group and solo
2000, The Arts Center Summer Exhibition, Seattle, USA
2000, Seattle AI Exhibition, Seattle, USA
2004, G4 Group Exhibition, Footscray, VIC
2005, Collector's Exhibition - Contemporary Art Society, Carlton, VIC
2005, Art at Burnley Harbour - Contemporary Art Society, Richmond VIC
2006, Nowa Nowa Nudes, Nowa Nowa, VIC
2006, Caravan Sculptors December 06 Exhibition, Richmond VIC
2006, Art at Burnley Harbour - Contemporary Art Society, Richmond VIC
2006-2007, Summer Works at Yelenís Studio Gallery, Nowa Nowa, VIC
2007, Black & White, Common Grounds, Lakes Entrance, VIC
2007, Art Red Hill Sculpture Exhibition, Red Hill, VIC
2007, LightCycle Design Festival Competition, FAD Gallery, Melbourne VIC
2007, Of Beauty Rich & Rare (solo exhibition), Hogan Gallery, Collingwood, VIC
2007, Project: Artists Salvage Trail, "The Long Now" public sculpture commission, Nowa Nowa, VIC
Bowers’ work is held in private and public collections in America and Australia. She is available for commission work.