"Chosen"

30" x 40"
acrylic on canvas



One of my latest works which made its debut in the "I Hate Lucy" Show, and is currently featured at the Northville Art House, this painting centers on the age old theme of love. All of us, young and old alike, have been touched by it and felt at one point or another the emotions associated with having lost it. Love as a concept in itself has always been among the most common themes in the creative arts, becoming the center of inspiration for artists, writers, poets, playwrights, and musicians for centuries.

I once came across a beautiful and powerful quote by William S. Burroughs which said "Love is a haunting melody that I have never mastered and I fear I never will." I wanted this painting to stand for love in all its purest forms, be it hopeful, sorrowful, or all the places in between. To some, it can serve as a symbol of the journey it takes us on, the happiness it brings, as well as the sadness; the lessons it teaches us and the imprint it forever leaves on our hearts. Love is a haunting melody. We don't choose to play it, but once its sound is heard, we can't help but surrender to its song. It doesn't have a happy ending - it just never ends. Nature moves in mysterious ways.

In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: "What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

Updates: The "I Hate Lucy" Show

Photos from the "I Hate Lucy: The Trials and Tribulations of Love" Show can be found here on Flickr. It was a great time catching up with fellow artists and friends, and kudos to Derek Ecker for pulling the whole thing together!

"I Hate Lucy: The Trials and Tribulations of Love" Show

One Night Only! Come out and see the "I Hate Lucy: The Trials and Tribulations of Love" show this Valentine's Day weekend, where me, along with several other artists will have work exhibited. Check out the article on us in Real Detroit here. One of my new, never-before-seen works done specifically for this show will be in it, so come on out! Hope to see you there!

"I Hate Lucy: The Trials and Tribulations of Love"

An edgy event showcasing the wicked roller coaster of love. Featuring over twenty visual artists from across the country, sharing their sometimes jaded take on the wheel of love. Musical appearances by Detroit’s independent scene powerhouses: Silent Violet, Geist, Magnanomus, and Dj Susana Doncic. This one day exhibition will showcase 60 pieces of love-inspired art from talented artisans for reasonable prices, ranging from the skilled arts of sculpture, photography, and painting. Whether you're in love or sick of love, this show will kick off your Valentine's Day weekend.

Friday, February 13, 2009
8pm - 2am

Russell Industrial Center
1600 Clay St.
Detroit, MI
48211
(313) 872-4000
http://www.ricdetroit.org/

Tickets are $10 at the door

Photo selected to appear in Schmap Boston Guide

I was delighted to find that my photo was discovered and chosen to appear in the newly released Sixth Edition of the Schmap Boston Guide. I love photography, and sometimes do it as a hobby, so I found it pretty cool to see it published. This photo was taken this past summer on my excursion to Salem, MA.

In Memoriam: The Passing of an Idol

Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009)

This Friday the art world lost an icon at the age of 91. Never was there an artist whose life and work I've felt so connected to. I can't even begin to count the ways. One of the greatest American artists, Andrew Wyeth will always continue to be an inspiration and influence in my life.

"I do an awful lot of thinking and dreaming about things in the past and the future — the timelessness of the rocks and the hills — all the people who have existed there ."

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure in the landscape — the loneliness of it — the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it; the whole story doesn't show.

"I think anything like that — which is contemplative, silent, shows a person alone — people always feel is sad. Is it because we've lost the art of being alone?"

“I dream a lot. I do more painting when I'm not painting. It's in the subconscious.”

Here's to a great man, and extraordinary artist whose art has left an eternal mark in the American psyche. Rest in peace, Andrew. Your legacy lives on.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone! With 2008 coming to a close, I'd like to give thanks to everyone for your continued friendship, support, and interest in my work. You all keep me moving forward, and I look forward to continuing sharing my artistic journey with all of you. Thank you. May you all experience joy and happiness in 2009!

Tag! I'm it! Seven Random Facts. . .

Last week I was tagged by friend and fellow artist Marcyanna Parzych. My turn, so here goes!

Game rules:

1. You must link to the individual who tagged you and post the rules of TAG (which you are currently reading).
2. Post 7 random facts about yourself.
3. Tag 7 friends and link to them and
4. Let them know that they have been tagged by leaving a nice little message on their blog.

My Facts:

1. I'm a paintaholic.
2. I collect Native American jewelry. You'll hardly ever see me without wearing at least some of it.
3. I am an active, proud supporter of Native American causes.
4. I love coffee, even though I don't drink a lot of it.
5. I have one other sibling, my brother, whom I'm very close to.
6. I love music. Art and music - no two things can be more connected.
7. Dance/Choreography/Performing is my favorite pastime. Up until college, I danced competitively as well as performed my own shows. I love the stage!

Friends I am tagging:

1. Dave Chow
2. Lee DeVito
3. Lauren Moyer
4. Kaylen Conley
5. Don Kilpatrick
6. Chelsea Kirchoff
7. Maureen O'Brien

Sneak Peek. . . Coming Soon!

Sneak Peek! Tons of new things from me are coming your way in the coming weeks and months. You probably already noticed the new imagery that graces the header above, as well as the image you see here. If you're wondering, "Hey! Are those the girls from the paintings?" you are correct! Stay tuned for an anthology I'll have coming out later in 2009 filled with past and present work, my personal writings about it, and recent photoshoots of me and my team in action. This is the first time I decided to go all out, leaving the quick reference shots that take place in my studio behind, and actually having my models get into character and go out with me on location. A sure treat for the eyes it will be, folks. In the meantime, think of this as a teaser.

Alongside this personal project, I'm illustrating a full-length children's picture book for the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Motherhouse in Monroe, MI, to be published this summer and due out Christmas 2009. Work has already commenced on it, and I'm excited to now be delving into the long-term project.

Along with that, pages are being filled with new sketches for paintings, canvases are being prepped, a group show is in the works, and new juried competitions will be entered. Lots to stay on top of, and I'll be keeping you all posted!

Giving Back. . .

During the course of this past month, I had the opportunity to give back to a person near and dear to me – Warren Mott High School art teacher, Mrs. Terri Dworkin.

Terri and I standing next to Warren Mott's new masterpiece.

Just part of the crowd that came to see what the buzz was all about.

Terri has been teaching art in public schools for a whopping 45 years, and is now retiring (or so we think!). Three years ago, she began forming what has now come to be the Warren Mott Art Gallery, a commemorative gallery featuring the work of prominent Warren Mott alumni dating back to the time of the school’s opening in the early 70s to the present, who have gone on to become working artists still practicing their craft today. Terri has worked tirelessly, researching and tracking down all past alumni to donate works of art. The response was immense, the gallery was born, and the high school now has devoted the entire wing to the art department as a result. Since the gallery was established in 2005, Terri held a grand opening and open houses that have garnered the press, and where members of the Warren community have been coming to gather with various alumni to embrace art and its vital role in the community as a whole. This is an art teacher who truly makes a mark.

Terri working on her contribution to the mural.

Posing for the cameras with Terri's colleague, WMHS art teacher Elena Fernandez and Terri's student teacher, Mallory Champine; two great ladies who stayed late with me those Monday nights helping to pull it all together.

Along with this mural, many hours of preparation went underway for a final major celebration, which kicked off this past Wednesday, known as Art Bash 2008. People from all over came to view the recent gallery acquisitions, as well as celebrate Terri’s retirement. This mural will be a priceless asset to both Terri’s legacy as a teacher, as well as to the community, who will have it to enjoy for generations to come. It was a true honor for me to give back to both Terri and the local art community in such a way by directing this, and working with fellow artists, art students – and even some of the school’s administrators who searched their artistic side and contributed. The mural’s unveiling to the public at the celebration this past Wednesday was certainly a wonderful moment. I’m not alone in giving thanks and kudos to Terri for everything she’s done in helping shape me and countless others into the artists we all wanted to become. Her relentless passion, wisdom, and gift for teaching will always be something we’ll carry with us, and we all look forward to seeing what she’s going to do next. Listed below is the official release and the names of all who contributed:

The Artists
By Artists-2008

One of the most delightful new acquisitions of the Warren Mott Art Gallery is the artists. Conceived and coordinated by Andrea Kowch, BFA Illustration, College for Creative Studies 2008, the artists is an 80” X 80” mural on the wall that is adjacent to the entrance of Art Room, 131. The mural depicts 9 giants of the art world (Dali, Gauguin, Monet, Kahlo, Picasso, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, da Vinci, and Warhol), walking down a corridor. The mural is divided into 20 individual canvases. Each canvas has been completed by an artist affiliated with Warren Mott either as a former student or as a member of its faculty. Individually the canvases are unique and memorable, but as a whole, the collective efforts prove that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Each canvas was developed in the contributing artist’s medium of choice and then reassembled to create this gestalt.

The canvases are identified by the contributing artists from left to right, four across, in each of five rows, as follows:

1. Trish Stone, Physics teacher WMHS
2. Anne Marie Lange, 2007
3. Colleen Spanke, 2002
4. Cathy Neuhoff, Assistant Principal, WMHS, North House
5. Mallory Champine, Student Art Teacher, 2008
6. Arlene Bugeaud Mylenek, 1973
7. Lynne Spanke, 2003
8. Jim Eagan, 1975
9. Stephanie Sucaet, 1999
10. Billy o’Bryan, 1972
11. Adrianne Baranowski, 2002
12. Jeanine Brackenbury, 2002
13. Rich Mylenek, 1973;
14. Trisha Szalach Kniffen, 1973
15. Elena Fernandez, Art teacher WMHS
16. Colleen McBride, 2010
17. Tom Conrad, 2003
18. Karen Pipesh Porter, 1986
19. Salam Yousif, Ell tutor, WMHS
20. Terri Dworkin, Art Teacher WMHS
21. Andrea Kowch, Mural Director and Pole Decorator.

A multitude of photos documenting this huge project from start to finish (as seen below) with captions can be viewed on Flickr here. There's lots to see. Enjoy, and THANK YOU to all who helped, contributing their time, energy, and artistic genius to make this all happen. We did it!

WMHS Class of '03 grad, and my fellow College for Creative Studies alum, Tom Conrad having a blast helping us paint the pole.

Tom working on his piece for the mural.

Trisha (WMHS '73) and I prepping the canvases for the mural on the first night of the project.

**Update: The project and event ended up making front page of the Sunday Edition of The Macomb Daily Newspaper. The article can be read online here.

SPECTRUM 15 now available!

It's finally here, folks! I'm excited to announce that SPECTRUM 15 is now available for purchase! For those of you just stopping by, please see my previous posts with prior info on this here and here. It's going to feel unreal to finally get this in my hands, and see No Trespassing in it. Available at all major bookstores. Click here to order your copy!