10-YEAR STUDIO ANNIVERSARY

 The Studio

When we were looking for a new home, we envisioned an unattached building for my studio,  and I was ready to settle for a simple 2-car garage...what we got however, turned out to be a 2,000 square foot all-wood, custom Quonset hut! We were the first ones to arrive when it hit the market after our real estate agent called us in a frantic -- our offer was accepted on the spot. What you see above was essentially a giant garage behind the house we purchased in 2002 -- it housed the original owners antique car collection back in 1952. The face of it looks the same today except for the entry which was once a 2-car wide garage door...

 View as you walk in the front doors...

It took a full year to remodel; bring in gas heat, extra electricity and water/sewer for the bathroom. My friend Mike who was a framing carpenter built the floor, stairs, wood shop and bathroom areas. I did some finish work, hanging doors, trim work etc., but hired contractors to insulate and drywall the entire structure.  Today, 10 years later I am still totally stoked to go to work each day in such a magnificent and unique place!

Library to the left of front entry...

My handy father-in-law built the custom bookshelves that house my art book collection and various reference books. The door to the right is storage space under the staircase (on the far left is the double door entry).

 

 View from stairs leading to loft...

The north light windows are 16' high and the ceiling is 20' high at the center with circular fans and 6 of the original early 1950's light fixtures.

 View from back of studio (notice figure model stand on right)

I have most everything on castors so I can easily move things around when I hold figure painting sessions here.

 Upstairs loft office...

This space overlooks the studio and keeps the business part separate from the work space.

 View from back of studio...

You can see my monster-sized Mayline drafting desk on the right (from the 1940's) and the entry to the Wood Shop beyond that with my grandfathers trophy antlers above the door.

 Wood Shop for cutting panels and building shipping crates...

This is closed off from the rest of the studio with a Shop Vac to keep saw dust from entering the painting space.

I've worked in everything from an apartment bedroom to rented office space, so for the first couple of years I told myself I would never move from here; and even though the splendor of this place hasn't diminished, I could move on if need be. Fact is, even though we live in a pleasant neighborhood, we'd like to move to the country and get a little more space around us away from the suburban scene...who knows, maybe there's an old barn out there someplace that just needs a little TLC. Either way, I am blessed to have enjoyed such a dream studio as this one for the last decade...

Winter Studies...

 Winter Creek (9x12)

When it's sunny with clear skies here in Portland in the middle of January, it's usually COLD...however it wasn't too bad this month; I was able to get out and do a few plein air sketches as long as I bundled up... I'm used to doing sketches like these in the warmer months when the trees are covered with plenty of foliage, giving them more body and shape to work with...but this was a nice change of (brisk) pace...

January Sun (9x12)

I really enjoyed focusing on the movement of the trunks and branches, and the hues they produce when massed together; beautiful grey-violets and pink-sages that compliment one another. I hope to get out again soon, and gather more colour reference before Spring hits. Not often we have a dry winter like this, and I'm happy to take advantage of it! Hope to turn some of this raw material into some larger works too...

"Personal Space" show now open!

The Chairman (12x12) o/p

My new show, "Personal Space" opened last night at Bonner David galleries in Scottsdale, AZ -- click link below to see it!

http://www.bonnerdavid.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=33&at=EricBowman&cat=2

Heard it was well received, but I'm back here at home painting for another gallery that will be carrying me in California, then on to an exclusive group show in New York after that... Sounds like I'm movin' and groovin' in the art world, but it's business as usual: you paint, frame, ship 'em out and hope for the best. I am very grateful doors are opening, but sales are what keeps the boat afloat. Would like to say money doesn't matter, but when it's your family's livelihood it sure does.

At least I love what I do -- and that counts for a lot!

New Interview in Uncle Jam

 

Last summer, artist & author Phil Yeh came by the studio and did an interview with me for the latest issue of Uncle Jam magazine, a publication about artists and writers. It is very interesting that when I was a teenager in 1976, I picked up an issue of this magazine because it had a cover and interview with the late Rick Griffin (my favorite artist at the time) and now, nearly 40 years later I am the one being featured in the same way...all the more special as this is their 40th Anniversary issue -- thank you Phil and Linda and Uncle Jam!

Read the full interview here http://www.wingedtiger.com/

 One More, Once (16x20) oil on linen

Painted for my upcoming show, "Personal Space", this piece was inspired by Count Basie's verbal command at the end of his recording of April In Paris where he says, "One more time" and then "One More Once" as his orchestra repeats the ending phrase of the song...  I rented the trumpet from a local music store and had my friend Roger (who once played the coronet) pose for me in his vintage Stetson hat. The ceiling lamp that appears in the upper right is one of six that hang in my studio from when it was built in the early 1950's. It works as an odd but effective balance to the composition which is largely made up of diagonal elements...

(detail)

New Show "Personal Space"

Nightingale (24x30) o/p

My new solo show, "Personal Space" opens January 23rd at Bonner David Galleries in Scottsdale, AZ. These two oil paintings on wood panels were just completed for the show, working with my amazing model, Shadowmoon Wolf... She is a dancer and dance teacher (our daughters ballet teacher, in fact) and was so kind and generous to work with! Definitely want to work with her again!

 Blue Benediction (24x30) o/p

 (Benediction detail)

 (Benediction detail 2)

Girl Interrupted...

"Girl Interrupted" (16x20) oil on linen

Above is the first version/study of a larger piece I am repainting (working title: "Disconnect") that will be loser and darker as it moves toward the left where the man is, so there will be more emphasis and focus on the woman...

(30x40) canvas

This is the initial wash-in over the drawing that was transferred with the grid method from my original drawing (you can see I changed the chair in the top version)...this one is quite a bit larger on canvas.

(detail)

New Work

Burgundy Dancer (12x9) o/p