Behind the Cover: David M. Bowers
Mar. 31st, 2009 12:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reviews_and_ramblingsDavid Bowers, born 1956 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and graduated from art school in Pittsburgh in 1979. He began working as a staff artist at various studios in Pittsburgh. Two years later, David began teaching at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh where he lectured for ten years. This job was perfect for Bowers at the time due to the short hours in the classroom. These short workdays enabled a lot of free time to perfect his painting technique before he entered the illustration field.
In 1991, David began his illustration career working mostly with book publishers in New York City in which he completed over one hundred covers in a span of over ten years. Also, David’s work graced the cover of numerous prominent magazines, including TIME. He also painted the portrait of J.P. Morgan for the cover of Cigar Aficionado, as well as a family portrait of the Rothschild family and the Chateau Latour Winery for the covers of Wine Spectator magazines. These paintings are now part of the company’s permanent collection.
The Ice Princess, Oil
Birdkeeper III, Oil on panel 22"x14"
Little Tiny, Oil on panel, 11"x11"
Mysteries of Medusa, Oil on linen, 22"x16"
Paulina's Dream, Oil
Bowers’ illustrations received numerous awards including three Joseph Morgan Henniger Awards, “Best of Show” from the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles along with two Patrick Nagel awards. These awards recognized David with the best, published illustration of the year. Also, David received 9 other medals from that organization. David also has received numerous medals and Merit awards from the Society of Illustrators in New York, Spectrum’s Best of Fantastic Art and Communication Arts Magazine.
In the mid 90s Bowers began to focus more on his fine art, splitting his time between his illustration assignments and personal paintings and had his first solo exhibition at James Gallery in Pittsburgh in 1995. An expert in the field once remarked, “His illustration assignments seem to get in his way of his passion for doing his personal paintings.”
Since then, Bowers has had exhibitions across America and Europe, including the Mendenhall Gallery in Pasadena, CA; Gallerie 224 in Laguna Beach, The Downey Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico and the Halcyon Gallery in London, England.
Upon first glance Bowers work seems to take you back to periods of painting long gone. However, Bowers paintings incorporate modern themes and ideas. There is always a message in his work. For him the idea is the most challenging and rewarding part of the painting. Symbolism is a main ingredient in his work. Bowers would never be satisfied painting a bowl of fruit or mundane landscape. These subjects would bore him to tears.
Viewers are initially drawn in by the smooth meticulous technique. But after closer inspection, they can see there is much more than just impeccable technique. There is a small, sometimes weird and unusual world that has been created. This type of creation gives the viewers a rare insight into the depths of Bowers’ talent. One of his private collectors, once stated, “One would be hard pressed to find an artist with greater depth, skill and imagination than David Bowers. It is obvious that Bowers marches to his own drummer, much like the artists he admires.”
The past four years, Bowers work has been included in several group exhibitions at the Halcyon Gallery in London, including an international show at Harrods entitled, “Art of Living.” David shared the spotlight with such luminaries as Rembrandt, Chagall and Warhol. In March 2005, he had his first solo exhibition in London, England, titled “The Human Condition.”
In 2005, Bowers did a painting titled “Little Tiny” for a group exhibition commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen at the Voergard Slot Museum in Denmark. This painting was selected to showcase this years best of fantastical art by gracing the cover of the awards annual, “Spectrum 12 The Best of Fantastic Art.”
Bower’s paintings are in many private collections throughout the United States and Europe as well as The Museum of American Illustration in New York and the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.
Bowers lives in the Pittsburgh area with his wife Kimberlie, where he paints very slowly and methodically day in and day out.
http://www.dmbowers.com/
In 1991, David began his illustration career working mostly with book publishers in New York City in which he completed over one hundred covers in a span of over ten years. Also, David’s work graced the cover of numerous prominent magazines, including TIME. He also painted the portrait of J.P. Morgan for the cover of Cigar Aficionado, as well as a family portrait of the Rothschild family and the Chateau Latour Winery for the covers of Wine Spectator magazines. These paintings are now part of the company’s permanent collection.
The Ice Princess, Oil
Birdkeeper III, Oil on panel 22"x14"
Little Tiny, Oil on panel, 11"x11"
Mysteries of Medusa, Oil on linen, 22"x16"
Paulina's Dream, Oil
Bowers’ illustrations received numerous awards including three Joseph Morgan Henniger Awards, “Best of Show” from the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles along with two Patrick Nagel awards. These awards recognized David with the best, published illustration of the year. Also, David received 9 other medals from that organization. David also has received numerous medals and Merit awards from the Society of Illustrators in New York, Spectrum’s Best of Fantastic Art and Communication Arts Magazine.
In the mid 90s Bowers began to focus more on his fine art, splitting his time between his illustration assignments and personal paintings and had his first solo exhibition at James Gallery in Pittsburgh in 1995. An expert in the field once remarked, “His illustration assignments seem to get in his way of his passion for doing his personal paintings.”
Since then, Bowers has had exhibitions across America and Europe, including the Mendenhall Gallery in Pasadena, CA; Gallerie 224 in Laguna Beach, The Downey Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico and the Halcyon Gallery in London, England.
Upon first glance Bowers work seems to take you back to periods of painting long gone. However, Bowers paintings incorporate modern themes and ideas. There is always a message in his work. For him the idea is the most challenging and rewarding part of the painting. Symbolism is a main ingredient in his work. Bowers would never be satisfied painting a bowl of fruit or mundane landscape. These subjects would bore him to tears.
Viewers are initially drawn in by the smooth meticulous technique. But after closer inspection, they can see there is much more than just impeccable technique. There is a small, sometimes weird and unusual world that has been created. This type of creation gives the viewers a rare insight into the depths of Bowers’ talent. One of his private collectors, once stated, “One would be hard pressed to find an artist with greater depth, skill and imagination than David Bowers. It is obvious that Bowers marches to his own drummer, much like the artists he admires.”
The past four years, Bowers work has been included in several group exhibitions at the Halcyon Gallery in London, including an international show at Harrods entitled, “Art of Living.” David shared the spotlight with such luminaries as Rembrandt, Chagall and Warhol. In March 2005, he had his first solo exhibition in London, England, titled “The Human Condition.”
In 2005, Bowers did a painting titled “Little Tiny” for a group exhibition commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen at the Voergard Slot Museum in Denmark. This painting was selected to showcase this years best of fantastical art by gracing the cover of the awards annual, “Spectrum 12 The Best of Fantastic Art.”
Bower’s paintings are in many private collections throughout the United States and Europe as well as The Museum of American Illustration in New York and the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.
Bowers lives in the Pittsburgh area with his wife Kimberlie, where he paints very slowly and methodically day in and day out.
http://www.dmbowers.com/
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