Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone! I'd like to thank you all for your constant loyal friendship and support, for an incredible year, and wish you all the joys of the holidays. You all mean the world to me, and I am so excited for the future and to continue sharing my artistic journey with all of you. Thank you. May you all experience a joyful and prosperous 2011! Let's have a great year!

DDMagazine #11

I'm very excited to be featured in the current December 2010 issue (#11) of the Italian-based mag, DDMagazine, a virtual publication of Daydreaming Project, an Italian production devoted to "the creative image in its many forms." I'm stoked to be shown alongside so much other amazing art.

Check it all out at http://www.ddmagazine.it/ and view some of their previous issues while you're at it; some truly great stuff. Big thanks to DDMagazine's editorial staff for inviting me to take part!

DDMagazine December 2010 Issue

ANDREA KOWCH

"Anima” expands in a loneliness savoured with ravens and wind as companions. The untamable hair tells about a madness stroked without fear. Impressive feminine resonances.

ALEX GROSS

Happy, sheltered, optimist in the best world of evertime, where an iPhone or a bag with famous griffe save from the wreck . The price of the new era is some insignificant genetic mutations, as snake-eyes or a gray skin.

TOMOHIDE IKEYA

Under water appears the tender brittleness of human being, that in the liquid element gains a shape of unreal softness. The moment of a held breath expands to infinite, and gave us a dream-like vision.

ALESSANDRO BAVARI

A journey with lot of quotations runs through ultra-human territories, and becomes a clear visionary reportage of excess, accumulation, ibridation. The pleasure of derailment, but in perfect control of image.

DINO VALLS

The classifing obsession of knowledge want to free body from the image and divine likeness. But surgical instruments and belts are not enough to extinghuish that strange luminescence that burns in human shape.

-Patrizia Miliani, Editorial Staff

RJD/101 Group Show II

See the ad in American Art Collector's current December issue (#62) on the upcoming group exhibition I will be a part of, along with other select artists from RJD Fine Arts Gallery and 101/exhibit. The show opens during Art Basel Miami; be sure to check it all out if you are in the area!

101/exhibit & RJD Fine Arts Gallery Present:

GROUP SHOW II - Art Basel Selections
December 2 - February 6, 2011

101/exhibit
101 NE 40th Street
Miami, FL 33137
305-573-2101
www.101exhibit.com
www.rjdgallery.com

New work featured in December's "American Art Collector"

I'm extremely pleased to inform that one of my latest paintings, Beyond Here, is featured in the current December issue of American Art Collector (#62), along with a great selection of others from RJD Fine Arts Gallery and 101/exhibit. See us in the article Art Basel Selections, and please be sure to check us out at this year's Art Basel Miami, opening December 1 - 5, as well as a second collaborative show, RJD/101 Group Show II, opening December 2, at 101/exhibit in Miami, FL. Hope to see you there!

For info visit:
http://www.artbaselmiamibeach.com/
http://www.101exhibit.com/

"Spectrum 17" Out Now!

Just released and now available through online retailers and major bookstores near you! I'm so honored to be shown among such an amazing group of artists again. It's another great volume, so grab your copy and enjoy!

Visit Spectrum's official site for more info, as well as to get a sneak peek flip-through of the book!

"Challenging, controversial, educational, and irreverent, the 15th anniversary addition to the award-winning Spectrum series reinforces both the importance and prevalence of fantastic art in today’s culture. With exceptional images by extraordinary creators, this elegant full-color collection showcases an international cadre of creators working in every style and medium, both traditional and digital. The best artists from the United States, Europe, China, Australia, South America, and beyond have gathered into the only annual devoted exclusively to works of fantasy, horror, science fiction, and the surreal, making Spectrum 17 one of the year’s most highly anticipated books. With art from books, graphic novels, video games, films, galleries, and advertising, Spectrum is both an electrifying art book for fans and an invaluable resource for clients looking for bright new talent. The entire field is discussed in an invaluable, found-nowhere-else year in review. Contact information for each artist is included in a handy index. Often imitated, never equaled, Spectrum 17 continues the freshness and excellence that was established 16 years ago."

Recent feature in this month's issue of "American Art Collector"

If you haven't yet, check out the current November issue of American Art Collector for a brief follow-up feature covering my recent solo exhibition, located in the magazine's "Sold!" section!

Art Basel Miami 2010

I am excited to announce that my work will be making an appearance at this year's Art Basel Miami! As most of you may know, it's one of the world's most prominent art events and most important art show in the US, presenting leading galleries, artists, and art enthusiasts from around the globe. It all takes place December 2-5, 2010.
Don't miss it! :)

For all information, please visit http://www.artbaselmiamibeach.com/.

Art Basel Miami Beach is the most important art show in the United States, a cultural and social highlight for the Americas. As the sister event of Switzerland's Art Basel, the most prestigious art show worldwide for the past 41 years, Art Basel Miami Beach combines an international selection of top galleries with an exciting program of special exhibitions, parties and crossover events featuring music, film, architecture and design. . . .every year, a greater number of art collectors, artists, dealers, curators, critics and art enthusiasts from around the world participate in Art Basel Miami Beach - the favorite winter meeting place for the international art world. (artbaselmiamibeach.com)

New projects & new work

Happy Autumn, everyone! My favorite season is here and there are a lot of new, exciting things going on! Two new paintings have recently been uploaded to the gallery section of my website, www.andreakowchillustration.com, so be sure to visit. I will post and discuss them here on the blog soon, too, so stay tuned and check them out on my site in the meantime.

I'm also officially scheduled to have another solo exhibition next summer at RJD Fine Arts Gallery, which I am super-excited about, and I'm currently beginning work on a major painting for two really great clients, which I will reveal at a later date. More large-scale work to come!

I also recently collaborated on a promotional shoot (see image) with emerging photographer, Lindee Robinson, currently a third-year student at my alma mater CCS, who's work totally rocks. Check her out on ModelMayhem and Facebook. I thought I'd share the teaser preview above of my model, Jennifer, and I in character and on location. It was one cold, blustery day for a shoot, and by the end of it, I was literally numb. A great time was had by all, though; more photos to come!

"Big Art, Small Canvas" Group Show

I will be featured in a new group show at RJD Fine Arts Gallery this month - Big Art, Small Canvas - which will include some of my smaller works (see one of them on card above, third from top). Be sure to check it out if you are in the area!

Big Art, Small Canvas

Opening Reception
September 25, 2010
6:00 -8:00 pm

Richard J. Demato Fine Arts Gallery
90 Main Street
Sag Harbor, NY 11963
631-725-1161
rjdgallery.com

"Tea"

36" x 48"
acrylic on canvas



In some ways, Tea parallels The Visitors in terms of concept and composition. A picnic on the verge of going awry, it involves an attitude of both panic and indifference; when we become unconscious of what we are actually doing because we are so caught up in our heads. The world, however, stops for no one as the goats and other animals reveal, continuing to go about their tasks, driven by their basic needs in their uncomplicated ways.

For me, the two figures represent a collective consciousness and contrasting emotions. The figure on the left is that little voice that keeps us in check when we lose ourselves. She's aware of what's going on unlike the other, who is transfixed in a world unbeknownst to us, her overflowing cup of tea indicative of several things. Humans are an excessive lot, draining precious resources from a world that still manages to sustain us, and a part of this painting speaks to that. The neutral sky and hazy landscape gives this painting an air of ambiguity, which further serves the purpose of this picture, as I wanted its essence to be one of dark playfulness tinged with uncertainty.

"Queen Anne's Lace"

30" x 24"
acrylic on canvas



The concept for this painting started out as a simple pun on words before shifting to something a little deeper; a view from a more feminine perspective, my love for expansive, earthy landscapes, fields in particular, and a childhood favorite of a wildflower that I used to pick. When I was a child, relatives of mine had a home with a wide field running behind it, and everytime I went over there, the only thing I wanted to do was run down that hill that was blanketed in daisies and Queen Anne's Lace. It's a flower that is both so complex yet so simple at the same time; the way I myself sometimes feel. Funny how ordinary memories often find their way into the paintings in one form or another, even without me knowing sometimes, and they play a large role in this one. Those were the days; the field was my empire, the buzzing insects my court, and the flowers my crown!

"The Visitors"

48" x 60"
acrylic on canvas



My largest to date, The Visitors came about through an image that flashed in my mind, as well as the thirst to dive into a more complex composition and scene. I have been wanting to go "big" for a while, as I was yearning to create a scene where the viewer can feel able to physically step in and be a part of the action. It was an all-consuming process, and I never lost the fever for it all throughout the course of working on it, which can be a rare thing sometimes.

The scene itself serves as an allegory for the struggle to create order out of chaos. As human beings, suppressing various emotions underneath a calm exterior is not uncommon in our day-to-day lives. So many people have connected to this painting in one way or another. I wanted to get a sense of the "heat" - hot summer wind coming through open windows across a drought-ridden field, the heat of the oven, the dizzying swirl of movement and sound, things on the verge of losing control - chaos personified. Yet, the figures appear almost unmoved. Perhaps it's just another day in the kitchen. The interaction between all the elements speaks of what lies beneath the surface. I deliberately composed the perspective and size of each animal and object to serve the purpose of encouraging interaction with the viewer. I want anyone who looks at this picture to feel like they can pull up a chair to sit across from the central figure and be a part of the whole environment.

Thoughts of interest. . .

As I paint I contemplate things a lot, and with that often comes the urge to turn a few pages in a book on an artist I admire; be it the need to find inspiration, encouragement, or to simply remind myself that I am not alone in feeling profound emotions towards similar things.

"I. . . have inherited that strange love for things remote, things delicately perfumed with that sadness that is so exquisitely beautiful. . . I only dare hope that I can commune these feelings to you in my work - sometime."

"I feel so moved sometimes toward nature that I could almost throw myself face down into a ploughed furrow - ploughed furrow understand! I love it so."

-- N.C. Wyeth

Just some random thoughts for today that I felt were worth sharing.

RJD/101 Group Show

I'm excited to be part of a spectacular current group show this month at RJD Fine Arts Gallery, which features other select artists from the gallery and those of Miami-based gallery, 101/exhibit. It's the first joint show between the two galleries and runs from August 7 - August 27, 2010. I was also super-excited to see my work featured on the show posters and promos (see poster above, clockwise from upper left: David Bowers, Phillip Thomas, Jason Alexander, me!). If you haven't already, be sure to check out the show if you are in Sag Harbor!

“RJD Fine Arts Gallery & 101/Exhibit Present Their Gallery Artists" Including: David Bowers, Jason Alexander, Bo Bartlett, Michael Costello, and select RJD Gallery Artists

August 7-27, 2010

http://www.rjdgallery.com/
http://www.101exhibit.com/

Solo Show Opening & Hamptons weekend

Well it has been two weeks since my solo exhibition Andrea Kowch: American Magic Realism, opened at RJD Fine Arts Gallery in Sag Harbor and it still feels like I was only just there yesterday. I know I am a bit overdue on the updates here, but better late than never, and I have already been busy painting again since then, too. More new work coming!



It's hard to find a place to start in describing my short but extremely eventful weekend in the Hamptons. I could not have asked for a more enjoyable, memorable experience, and I thank everyone involved, from my gallery to all the great new people I had the privilege of meeting - and above all, my wonderful collectors. The show looked beautiful, and the VIP treatment I received was, simply put, AWESOME. :) Huge thanks to my gallerist Richard Demato and his wife, artist and internationally-acclaimed textile designer, Harriet Sawyer, who accommodated me at their gorgeous Long Island Sound home and showed me a great time. For a glimpse, check out the February 2010 issue of American Art Collector (#52) to see the feature on their home and art collection. Amazing stuff.

Sag Harbor is everything I expected, charming, friendly, historical, and I was stoked to spend some time exploring it before the show. A museum-goer at heart, the Custom House and Whaling Museum were some of the stops I had to visit, and they did not disappoint.



And did I mention the weather was perfect? I also got to ride in a Ferrari for the first time! It was quite the beautiful, stylish experience (to put it mildly)! Montauk Point and the legendary Lily Pond Lane in East Hampton were on the next day's agenda, courtesy of Richard and Harriet who were kind enough to shuttle me around and show me many worthwhile spots. I was able to catch a passing glimpse of the summer homes of Martha Stewart, Steven Spielberg, etc. as well as Grey Gardens, which I did not see, but I know we passed it somewhere down that road!

In between these jaunts, I also made house calls to a few of my collectors whom I thank for having me stop by. It surely was a weekend to remember, and I wish I could have shared the moments with each and every one of you. I tried to take lots of pictures, but was so involved, I had to often remind myself to do so. Be sure to visit my Flickr page to see it all. I could not have asked for a better way to kick off my first showing there on the east coast, and celebrate all the long days spent in the studio over the last few months. It was amazing.

Visit my Flickr PhotoAlbum to view all pics from the opening!

Last but not least for all you collectors and lovers of antiques out there, Leigh and Leslie Keno of Antiques Roadshow were on my flight to NY! Two nice guys who had no problem lending me a minute for a photo. I love the show, and was SO excited to meet them! This is us at La Guardia!

"On the Point"

48" x 36"
acrylic on canvas



Aside from the urge to portray a slightly different landscape and to further study gulls and take my compositions to another level, On the Point is a painting about navigating uncharted horizons. The unpredictable nature of things is often cause for contemplation, and I wanted to get a sense of that here. The figure is in a state of limbo, facing the new and unknown, focusing in on a course, unmoved by the devouring frenzy that surrounds her. Tone and atmosphere were important factors for me in this. The fog is symbolic of a curtain about to unveil something hidden, and I want viewers to be able to feel that damp mist and wind, stand on the brink, smell the coast, feel the sun about to break through, hear the birds; all the sensations associated with the everchanging moods of a coastal landscape.

"Night Hill"

36" x 24"
acrylic on canvas



This was the first painting I completed for my new set of work for my solo exhibition. Stemming partly from a need to explore a night palette, as well as to represent the mood and mystery personally associated with night itself, Night Hill speaks of those still moments where our subconscious takes over. I have sat on the shores of Lake Huron many times at night, listening to its crashing waves, feeling the breeze and seeing the stars. Each time, I couldn't help but realize how small I felt alongside the universe as it stretched up and on into dark oblivion. We make up such a small part of it, despite our immense impact; mere fireflies which circle about, lighting the way before flickering out.

I came across this very stagecoach at an antique shop on the side of the road on U.S. 23 one day. It was strangely intriguing to me, and I thought, why not put it up on the hill? It encompassed an ethereal almost spiritual quality, like an artifact of the supernatural realm, where all things legendary and ghostly dwell. Fire holds several meanings for me, and I often find my thoughts unintentionally centering around the concept of duality as I paint, coming to realize its steady presence at the core of my pictures. The real and unreal, history and the present, opposing emotions, endings and beginnings, nature's seasons and cycles, all of it is present there. I wanted this painting to capture night's magical quality, when the unreal feels realer than anything.

Quote of the Day

"Every day we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture, and, if possible, speak a few sensible words." -Goethe

Solo Show info & new work!

It's a wrap for this show! All new work is now posted on my website, so feel free to visit and check it out! Above is the show card for the event. In the days to come, I'll begin posting work individually here on the blog with some personal tidbits behind each painting.

If any of you are out on Long Island next week, make sure to mark Sag Harbor as a destination so you can see the show. I look forward to meeting new faces and sharing my work with you!

Please Save the Date and Join Us for a
Collection of New Work by Andrea Kowch

Andrea Kowch: American Magic Realism

Opening Reception
Saturday, July 17
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Richard J. Demato Fine Arts Gallery
90 Main Street
Sag Harbor, NY 11963
(631) 725-1161
rjdgallery.com

Work featured in American Art Collector ArtHamptons Preview

I am very honored to be featured in American Art Collector once again, this time, in their previews of ArtHamptons 2010. This July issue is out now, so grab a copy wherever books and magazines are sold! Check out the article on my gallerist, Richard Demato and the gallery's future collaboration with Miami-based gallery 101/exhibit, which represents the likes of David Bowers, Bo Bartlett, and Mark Ryden among others, and see one of my new paintings, The Visitors, featured alongside the article!

Meanwhile, I am nearly finished wrapping up this latest body of work for my show, and am looking forward to taking a short, much needed break from all the long weeks spent painting full speed at the easel. I'll be posting all the new images at that time, as well as my thoughts behind each work here on the blog. Thanks again to all for your comments and support throughout as always! Hope everyone is having a fantastic summer! :)

ArtHamptons 2010

ArtHamptons, one of the top major international fine art fairs in America, is happening in New York this July and I'm excited to announce that my work will be represented there along with several prominent figures in today's art world. The event draws thousands of high-end art enthusiasts each year, where the weekend is spent perusing work from top US and international art galleries in a museum-like setting. I am extremely excited and honored to be a part of it!

Visit http://www.arthamptons.com/ for ticket information and to learn more about this annual summer event.

Sneak Peek . . .

A few sneak peeks of some paintings I've been working on. Check back here and my website in the next few weeks to see all the new stuff!

Review in American Art Collector

If you haven't checked out my review in American Art Collector yet, the June issue has hit the stands! Check it out to see one of the many new paintings that will be on exhibit at my one-woman show this July, as well as the interview, and info about the upcoming event. Available now wherever books and magazines are sold!

Issues may also be ordered through http://www.americanartcollector.com/

Teaching acrylic painting at the GPAC!

Calling all painters! I'm happy to announce that I will be teaching a summer painting class at the Grosse Pointe Art Center in Grosse Pointe, Michigan this July. It will be a total of 4 two-hour sessions running Thursday evenings, from July 8 - August 5, 2010. Registration is open, so visit http://www.grossepointeartcenter.org/ for information, and download the schedule for GPAC Summer Art Education Classes.

I will be teaching an intermediate acrylic painting course, so if you (or someone you know) have some experience with the medium and want to brush up (no pun intended) on your basic painting skills, then contact the art center today! I look forward to meeting everyone and sharing tips!

Cool article about my work on Artonfix

I came across a neat little article about my work on Artonfix, a site that discusses contemporary art and artists. Check it out!

"Sisters, Farms, and Supernatural Forces"

Work to be featured in "Spectrum 17" & American Art Collector Magazine!

I am proud to announce that In the Path of the Wind was selected to appear in Spectrum 17! The book comes out November 2010. I'm so honored to be shown among the group for a third time, and can't wait to see all the great stuff featured in its pages this year.

In other news, I've been (and still am) painting around the clock for my solo show at the gallery this summer. A total of 15 works will be on display, and the show opens this July. Needless to say, working to do all this in five months is exhausting, though working at such a constant pace keeps ideas fresh. I have about 5 more paintings to go, and little over one month left before I have to send them all off! Not to mention, there are a few very large ones (one as big as 4x5 ft.) and compositions that simply demand time and energy. It's been quite the trip so far, in a good way, and I am very much looking forward to unveiling all that I've been doing.

I'm also very excited to announce that American Art Collector Magazine will be featuring me in their upcoming June issue with an article and preview of the show! Keep your eye on the shelves to catch this next issue! Some of the new work I've been doing will be in it. Keep checking back here on the blog as well to see some sneak peeks I'll be posting soon as we get closer to the show date.

For now, it's back to the easel! :)

"The Art of Consciousness" Group Show

If you happen to be in the New York/Long Island area, please check out the group show I'll be showing in at the Richard J. Demato Fine Arts Gallery, entitled "The Art of Consciousness," a show celebrating the gallery's new arrivals, with work by artists Jeff Aeling, Laurel Swab, and myself. It will be a great show, so be sure to check it out!

Please Save the Date and Join Us for Our New Arrivals Featuring:
Andrea Kowch, Jeff Aeling, & Laurel Swab

Opening Reception
Saturday, March 13
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Richard J. Demato Fine Arts Gallery
90 Main Street
Sag Harbor, NY 11963
(631) 725-1161
rjdgallery.com

Also check out The Sag Harbor Express article covering the show:

Art as Allegory: Narratives in (and out of) the Frame

If you get the paper locally, you can see my painting "Losing Eden" featured as the article image!

Work now represented by NY gallery!

I am extremely excited and pleased to announce that I am now represented by the Richard J. Demato Fine Arts Gallery in New York! I am so excited and honored to now be represented and shown among a series of exceptional artists, including Jamie Wyeth (yes, the Jamie Wyeth!) and modern master and Spectrum award winner Donato Giancola. It's going to be a busy next few months ahead of me as I begin full-time work on 15 new paintings to be shown out in The Hamptons this summer, and I am looking forward to it, entirely! I am also scheduled to take part in major art events later this year as well, and will keep you all posted as those dates near.

You can check out the gallery's website at http://www.rjdgallery.com/, and click on my name located under "Gallery Artists" to see my page, and the work that is available at this time. Please note that if you are interested in purchasing any work, you must now contact the gallery.

I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for your ongoing support of my work, and look forward to this next endeavor as I bring lots of new works your way! Can't wait! :)

New version of website now launched

Just an update to let you all know that a brand new version of andreakowchillustration.com is now up and running. Check it out! It's the official one-stop shop for everything - news, updated portfolios, links to my various other online profiles, photos, free downloads, and an online store that will open in the near future, featuring limited edition prints. Please be sure to join my mailing list to receive updates and information on future exhibitions, and be sure to check back often for new additions to the site.

The Sketchbook Project

I, along with other artists from all over the world recently completed sketchbooks for The Sketchbook Project, a project that's goal is to create a giant collective of sketchbooks from around the globe, and make it accessible to everyone. The sketchbooks will go on a nationwide gallery tour across the US, and afterwards be permanently housed in the Brooklyn Art Library in Brooklyn, NY. Visitors will receive library cards and be able to view the books at exhibitions around the country.

I am very excited to be a part of this! I have never been one to fill sketchbooks from front to back, as I usually only use them to work out my processes for final paintings and illustrations. So, I decided to take part in this in order to make myself go back to the basics, try out some new techniques, and simply free myself up a bit and allow my imagination to run where it wanted to. It was extremely refreshing and a healthy challenge for the creative process.

So, enjoy a little peek into my quirky mind, and be sure to check out a few more here on Flickr, or MyArtspace. The rest will have to be seen in person :) Each artist was assigned a theme, and mine was It's Not Easy Being Green. Make of it what you will! I decided to take the phrase loosely, allowing it to encompass not only "green" objects and such, but the broader scope of connotations that "green" carries for us in this day and age - our planet. Here are the cities and official tour dates:

January 29 - 30, 2010
Art House Gallery
309 Peters St
Atlanta, GA 30313

February 19 - 21, 2010
303Grand
303 Grand St
Brooklyn, NY 11211

March 5, 2010
Laconia Gallery
433 Harrison Ave
Boston, MA 2118

March 6, 2010
Brooklyn Art Library (Grand Opening Party)
201 Richards Street #16
Brooklyn, NY 11231

April 8 - 11, 2010
Art and Shelter Gallery at The Salvation Army Alegria
2737 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90039

April 16 - 18, 2010
Soulard Art Market
2028 S. 12th St
Saint Louis, MO 63104

May 7 - 9, 2010
Home Gallery
1407 E. 54th Place
Chicago, IL 60615