Cheryl Bowman

CHERYL BOWMAN About Me and my ideas

I can’t remember the exact moment art became a part of my soul. I took art classes is high school and won a few contests, but it held no great meaning to me. Growing up in a small town without museums and exposure to timeless masterpieces, I never understood that pinnacle of joy that manifests itself in the right brain of an artist through creation. In my early adult years, my logical left brain accounting skills paid my bills and allowed me to run an art business which included a retail store, gallery, and school. My mother taught adult classes and I soon became involved in teaching children. As I traveled throughout the world, my interest in art began to blossom. I realized the creative side of the business appealed to me more and more. I tried painting at about age 28 and fell in love.
This became a joyful challenge that never proved boring. We sold the business, and I attended college to get a double major. The two loves of my life are literature and art. I became certified to teach English and Fine Arts. The love affair had begun. I taught English a few years and finally became a full time art teacher. I have taught all ages in all types of schools. After dedicating myself to inspiring the creativity of others, I finally have the time to paint all the paintings saved up in my head.

"ANIMAL MAGNETISM"
This group of paintings came into being throughj a long journey in my world of painting. I have painted realism, abstract, impressionsism, and just about any other style of painting. The evolution of this style came from the constant idea of collage and shapes. Some paintings have been a collage of endangered species, shoes I have loved and hated, abstract figures, and just about everything else. I find the juxtaposition of things, shapes, and colors become fascinating and have their own way of becoming something with which everyone can identify.
"Animal Magnetism" places colors and shapes with a single subject matter. I love color and never feel that it needs to be like the real world. We get enough realism everyday in our lives. A little fantasy never hurt anyone. This group of paintings varies in the amount of detail. Some have very detail eyes while others do not. The subject dictates to me how it should be. I thin we are all individuals who see and interpret things differently. The exclusive DNA and spirituality of each human being creates the uniqueness of "us". My view expresses a part of me.
Although most of the animals have been inspired from my love and travels of Africa, you will notice that other grand animals have been included such as the tiger. Nothing on this earth is subject to limitation. As each subject inspires me, I will paint it in the style and colors which they dictate to me. Each painting becomes a journey without a definite end. When I reach the final destination, it allows me to put down the brush and claim ownership to another child ready to be released to someone else. I don't know how many more paintings belong to this group, but the subject matter remains endless and exciting.