Barbara Mowery contemporary fine art & craft

Painting a Day Project

2010-03-01T12:00:00.004-05:00

In an effort to fight the winter blues--and it was a doozy of a winter this year--I challenged myself to make a watercolor sketch every day in the month of February. Here are several of those paintings. I created an album of the whole month on Flickr.

Christmas gift for Chere

2009-12-26T08:15:00.003-05:00

Remember that little painting I made of Chere's daughter Brianna giving her newborn baby Mila a bottle on vacation?

Merry Christmas, Chere!

Commission embroidery

2009-12-15T08:46:00.001-05:00

Charlene asked me to embroider an image of the Eiffel Tower on a t-shirt to be a Christmas gift for her friend Jenn--who LOVES Paris. Now I have never been to Paris, but I also don't think I have ever really looked closely at the Eiffel Tower before. So my first step was a little internet research.

A few useful images later, and I could begin laying out my sketch in tailor's chalk.

And several hundred tiny stitches later, a shirt was born. (Thank you, Robb, for being my model!)

Holiday Craft Fair 2009

2009-11-22T08:14:00.013-05:00

Yesterday was the Grace Church Holiday Craft Fair, and it was fantastic! I was pleasantly astonished by my sales: 4 small watercolor paintings, 1 acrylic painting, 1 Moleskin journal, 2 kerchiefs (head scarves), 3 bracelets, 4 scarves, and all 26 holiday tea towels. A heartfelt THANK YOU to all of my customers! This was, by far, my best year yet. You can click over to Making Crafts in the Woods for a full recap of the day's events and a lot of embarrassing gushing.

Vacation watercolors

2009-08-16T11:56:00.000-04:00

We just got back from a week at the beach in Nags Head, North Carolina. And I had time to make a few watercolor sketches. Above is Jamie wading into the waves.

These are a series of unsuspecting sunbathers who never knew I was armed (with a paintbrush) and dangerous and sitting on a blanket right near them.

And when the sun got to be too much, I went back inside and found Brianna giving baby Mila a bottle. Now if I can just get all the sand out of my paint case!

George's birthday

2009-07-26T08:34:00.000-04:00

(Here is the finished painting before it was framed, blocked out with notebook paper.)

I knew that I wanted to make a painting for George's 40th birthday, but I wasn't sure what to paint for him. Robb suggested Grace Church, and I thought--of course! That's a great idea because Grace Church is such a huge part of his life. It's practically his second home.

Smartypants that I am, though, I wrapped the framed painting in some of the tattiest, most recycled tissue paper that we had balled up in the bottom of our gift wrap tub, in all colors imaginable. And then I stuffed the whole thing into a big old turquoise shopping bag from this home accent shop on Main Street in Berlin, MD. So it looked like a strange pile of nothing when George began to unwrap his gift. Nice way to build the suspense. I asked Robb if he thought wrapping it ugly was funny, but he just shrugged--he usually goes along with my nonsense.

But when he got the framed painting out of the mess and realized what it was, he got choked up. So I consider this a successful painting! :) Glad you like it, George. Happy Birthday!!!

(Check out photos of the step-by-step work in progress on my blog.)

Around the House Series

2009-07-18T20:10:00.001-04:00

This month I've been working on a series of small watercolor paintings from my stay-cation. Each of these studies from around the house are about 3" x 5" and are giving me good practice with my long-neglected watercolor set. Incidentally, it is a Daler-Rowney Georgian Water Colour Box with 12 half pans and pocket brush. I have had this box forever--it was love at first sight.

Mt. Washington Paint Out

2009-06-07T23:25:00.000-04:00

What happens when you arrive 20 minutes late for a casual paint-out? All of the other artists have left the rendezvous point for some secluded location within an unfamiliar town, and you never catch up with them. Oh, well. For the record, I was in Mt. Washington, MD, on the morning of June 7th, and I did paint. Maybe it was the solitude talking, but I was really drawn to the Grecian quality of this overpass, all those columns.

I set up camp for a while on the side of the highway. But working alone in a strange town when no one knows exactly where I am--or even that I showed up for the event--kind of gives me the creeps. So I finished up my painting at home.

What do you think? Too Diebenkorn? On the surface it seems like a departure, but it's not so different from this. More abstraction here, but I'm using my same favorite color palette. I am going to put it away and come back to it with fresh eyes in a couple months. (I was working with acrylics and china markers on a masonite panel that measures 24" x 24".)

And although I painted a highway overpass, there were some lovely spots around Mt. Washington, like this old grist mill.

Solomons Paint the Town

2009-05-17T23:24:00.000-04:00

I am starting to spend more time making excuses than actually painting. That's probably a bad thing. During the first annual Solomons Paint the Town plein air painting event, I was handicapped by a bad case of poison ivy all over my face and between my fingers. I just wasn't focused, and it shows. Pictured above is the only painting that I completed during the paint out, "Drum Point Light", acrylic and china marker on paper, 4" x 6". It's a very stylized, retro view of the historic lighthouse at the Calvert Marine Museum.

Then I spent a very pleasant day in the dappled shade of Back Creek Inn. Again, the weather and the view were perfect. But I was busy trying to bend the painting to my will instead of opening myself to the universe. Below is the work in progress.

If you're interested, I blogged daily my way through my personal frustration at Solomons. Here are links to my rambling notes about the first day, the second day, and the third day of the event.

Inspiration from the garden

2009-04-30T16:44:00.000-04:00

This month we moved into a house that once had fabulous gardens, but they have been neglected for several years. As my husband and I labor to bring the yard back into order, the flowers are a constant source of inspiration to me. I find myself wanting to paint the flowers for the first time ever. And the vintage frames I had at the back of the closet are suddenly just right.

Peony Buds.
Acrylic and china marker on paper canvas, 5" x 3.5", 2009.

Salvia.
Acrylic and china marker on canvas panel, 10" x 8", 2009.

Garden Weeds.
Acrylic and china marker on Gessobord, 7" x 5", 2009.

Azaleas and Azalea Buds.
Each is acrylic and china marker on hardboard, 6" x 6", 2009.

Paint Snow Hill 2009

2009-04-20T19:42:00.000-04:00

This was my third year participating in Paint Snow Hill. I suppose I am now a veteran, which means I know all the best places to eat--and THAT is the single most important thing to know when you are painting en plein air. Naturally the primary purpose of Paint Snow Hill is to make a lot of artwork in a very short period of time. But the event comes with a major bonus of making new friends, catching up with old ones, eyeballing everyone's artwork, and eating glorious food, food, food.

My painting setup was a bit more makeshift than usual because half of my art supplies were boxed up for the move. (See my usual guerrilla plein air setup here.) But the back of the car worked well as a mobile art studio. It allowed me to do most of my painting on site. Which is kind of the point of plein air painting.

On Saturday afternoon I painted on Figgs Landing Road near Chincoteague Bay. Here is the finished painting called Figgs Landing, acrylic and china marker on canvas panel, 11" x 14", 2009. And the paint was applied exclusively with painting knives, not brushes. When racing against acrylic's drying time outdoors, knives were the way to go.

As I drove back and forth from Ocean City to Snow Hill each day, I passed a new development near Newark: Acadia Village, 41 New Homes for Sale, Starting in the 200s. As the point of plein air painting is to capture a moment, I zigged toward the idea of the moment and captured the cusp of development as an important moment in the rural areas along the Eastern Shore. This painting is called 41 New Homes, acrylic and china marker on Gessobord, 5" x 7", 2009. Although I framed and showed it, I do not think I am quite finished working on it.

I went the same direction with this painting called Widening, acrylic and china marker on Gessobord, 5" x 7", 2009. I wanted the moment before the four-lane highway arrived at the Town of Snow Hill.

On Friday I parked the car on the north side of the river in front of the Cannery and painted the collective skyline of the Town of Snow Hill. The painting is called Paint the Town, acrylic and china marker on canvas panel, 11" x 14", 2009. If you have been to Snow Hill before you may recognize the some of the skyline shapes, like the Cannery, bridge house, canoe rental building, water tower, Circuit Court, and church spires.

This year I did a little less socializing than usual. I was more focused on where in the world I might go off to paint next than pestering the other artists while they worked. On the left in the floppy white hat is Nancy Thompson who lives in Southern Maryland, not far from where we're moving.

Many of us lined up our work under the pavilion at the Saturday night picnic. I was so glad that the old tradition of show-and-tell among the artists continued because it's my favorite part of the weekend. The weekend culminated with a Wet Paint Show and Sale on Sunday in the old firehouse on Green Street. Thanks, of course, to the hard work and dedication of Ann Coates of Bishop's Stock and to SHARP and to all the volunteers who made this weekend so great!

Sol LeWitt (1928-2007)

2009-03-31T20:18:00.000-04:00

"In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. The idea becomes a machine that makes the art."

More in the new year series

2009-02-28T19:38:00.000-05:00

Dig In.
Acrylic and china marker on canvas, 12" x 9", 2009.

Solomon Strikes Again.
Acrylic and china marker on canvas, 6" x 12", 2009.

New year new work

2009-01-31T07:05:00.001-05:00

How Many Licks.
Acrylic and china marker on canvas, 12" x 6", 2009.

Good to the Last Bite.
Acrylic and china marker on canvas, 6" x 12", 2009.

Missed a Spot.
Acrylic and china marker on canvas, 6" x 12", 2009.
SOLD

I Remember.
Acrylic and china marker on canvas, 12" x 6", 2009.

Welcome

2009-01-06T20:02:00.000-05:00

Welcome and hello, to old friends and new. I put this blog together to replace www.bbmowery.com, my old art site, which will be off-line by the end of January. Although there are quite a few entries prior to this one already, this post is the first one being written and published in real time. This blog is essentially my artist resume brought to life as a series of blog posts. I used the Way Back Machine to revisit the past several years of art events and post cards and paintings and photos. Going forward I will continue to document exhibitions, artwork, articles, classes, and upcoming art events, so please come back periodically to see what I am up to.

For purchase information and availability in relation to any of the artwork you see here on the site, please send an email to me at bbmowery [!at] hotmail [!dot] com. Email is the best way to contact me. Also, check out my Etsy shop, Making Crafts in the Woods, to see what I have listed there.

Thanks for visiting!
Barb

Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008)

2008-12-31T14:34:00.000-05:00

"Screwing things up is a virtue. Being correct is never the point. Being right can stop all the momentum of a very interesting idea.”

Holiday Craft Fair

2008-11-15T09:57:00.000-05:00

The Grace Church Holiday Craft Fair was today in Baltimore, Maryland. I was selling handmade scarves, greeting cards, small paintings, bookmarks, and notepads, while my husband Robb was trying to have a yard sale with little success. We were in the company of bunch of famous name vendors like Pampered Chef, Avon, Longaberger Baskets, Tastefully Simple, Cookie Lee Jewelry, etc. Plus my sister-in-law Chere was personalizing handmade Christmas ornaments (so cute!), and there was a bake sale, a flea table, a Ravens tickets raffle, entertainment books, sports & baseball cards, church cookbooks (will we ever sell them all?), hotdogs, Coney Island burgers, and an old-fashioned cake walk. The cake walk was hilarious because everyone had to drop what they were doing and sing "O, When the Saints Go Marching In" until Charlene called for the cake walkers to stop walking and try to find a number to stand on. Good times!

(A photo from my cluttered little table. Next year I must be better prepared!)

Gallery of sold paintings

2008-08-31T13:29:00.000-04:00

I made a series of tiny "punk fish" paintings and mounted them on 5" x 7" greeting cards for easy framing. They were pretty popular...I should probably make some more! Each painting is acrylic and china marker on paper canvas, signed in Sharpie marker.

Doodles in Washington, DC

2008-07-30T11:14:00.000-04:00

In the spring and summer, I worked part time at The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC. And I was never without my sketchbook.

Some generous soul left a bag of crayons in the kitchen, so I made use of those, too.

Road to Assateague

2008-06-30T13:05:00.000-04:00

Right after Paint Snow Hill weekend, I found myself driving around the Ocean City and Berlin, Maryland, area on the lookout for more good plein air painting sites. One of my favorite places is along Route 611 on the way to Assateague Island. Across from Assateague Market a row of very sculptural trees stands in a line and follows the curve of the road around. In the springtime their new leaves are nearly fluorescent green. I simply had to pull off the road and start sketching, standing in a ditch, with cars roaring past me. When I finish the painting it will all be worth it. :)

Hanging at the Co-Op Gallery

2008-05-11T11:35:00.000-04:00

I just installed "South of Snow Hill" at the Worcester County Arts Council's Co-Op Gallery in Berlin, Maryland. I completed this painting at home after Paint Snow Hill 2008.

Paint Snow Hill 2008

2008-05-01T00:06:00.000-04:00

This was my second year participating in Paint Snow Hill, the three day plein air painting weekend organized and hosted by Ann Coates and Bishop's Stock Fine Art & Fine Craft Gallery in Snow Hill, Maryland. Seventy artists participated this year.

This is what actual plein air painters look like. If you want to get into plein air painting, you should give it a try once or twice before you invest in the professional gear (shown above), which can be quite expensive, although it makes you look cool. I created this Plein Air on a Shoestring Guide with a plein air "test drive" in mind.

This is what my Paint Snow Hill 2008 setup looked like. I never claimed to be a plein air painter. Last year I struggled against my studio urges and wasted a lot of valuable painting time. So this year, I just went with my gut. And my gut said, "Find a table in the shade!" My daily routine goes like this: I roam around the Town of Snow Hill until I find a scene I want to paint. I leap from my car with a sketch book and draw the scene. Then I draw it again directly on the canvas. I take a lot of photos of the subject area. Not pretty framable photos, just informative shots of the whole scene, specific details, light, objects, etc. Whatever I might want to refer to later. Then I run for cover and get to work. This painting event is very laid back. More serious plein air events would not allow me to use this system.

The party on Saturday night was as delicious as last year. It's a nice way to bring all of the painters in from the fields and streets and marshes for some fellowship and war stories. I did not stay too late, though. I hurried up the highway to Ocean Gallery and caught them before they closed. By 10:00 a.m. the next morning, they had framed two paintings for me. I love that place!

The first painting I completed, Signs of the Times, is the view up West Market Street from the corner of Morris. That morning my view was all realty signs as far as the eye could see.

The second painting, End School Zone, was looking out of town south into the farmland. This painting and Signs of the Times were juried into the Paint Snow Hill show at Bishop's Stock and displayed for the month of May 2008.

Barrett Medical Office Building

2008-04-11T23:46:00.000-04:00

Artists from the Worcester County Arts Council were invited to display their artwork in the new James G. Barrett Medical Office Building in Berlin, Maryland, from January through August 2008. I dropped in for the grand opening on April 11th and found the parking lots and building overflowing with guests. Even though there was a power failure, the turnout was fantastic.

As you can see the design of the building with these airy corridors full of windows allowed the show to go on even if the lights were out. They had clowns, face painters, balloon animals, promotional materials, tours of the medical suites, a buffet, hundreds of tiny cheesecakes, and crush of people. And best of all, the walls were covered with the work of local artists! I had a great time and kept running into people I knew.

My painting Sea Stars was hung prominently in the main entrance of the building. That happened to also be where the dedication of the building was taking place and was stuffed with people. So I stopped by another day to get a clear photograph of it hanging there.

Hanging at the Co-Op Gallery

2008-03-01T11:30:00.000-05:00

I just installed my painting "Barometer" at the Worcester County Arts Council's Co-Op Gallery in Berlin, Maryland. My chicken scratch in the corner of the painting reads:

Today's Assignment
Make a list of all the things you dislike about yourself:
1.____
2.____
3.____

When you greet this young woman in the morning, your response to the assignment is a pretty good indicator of the kind of pressure you are under and how your day will go in general. Hence the title of the painting.

Robin's Gift

2008-01-30T17:57:00.000-05:00

When I was moving away from Ocean City, Maryland, my friend and former student Robin Shipley presented me with this fabulous drawing of a typical night in one of my art classes. And it's really accurate and hilarious. I love it! But please remind me, Robin: I know I called something an "escapee" in class a bunch of times, but what I was talking about? Dropped pencils maybe??

Gallery of sold paintings

2008-01-01T12:59:00.000-05:00

End School Zone.
Acrylic and china marker on canvas panel, 11" x 14", 2008.

Alice Neel (1900-1984)

2007-12-31T16:13:00.000-05:00

"When I work, I work very fast, but preparing to work can take any length of time."

Holly Days Show & Sale

2007-12-01T14:09:00.000-05:00

Here are the Rapunzel Scarves I made for the Holly Days Show & Sale at the Worcester County Arts Council. I also sold linoleum block print greeting cards.

Fall Arts Night

2007-11-30T11:44:00.000-05:00

We piled in the car and headed out to Fall Arts Night in Berlin, Maryland. It is always the evening of the Friday after Thanksgiving--Black Friday. This year it was particularly cold. But the town of Berlin opened its warm arms to us. Every store is open late for holiday shopping, and every square inch is covered with artwork by local artists and crafters. I had artwork at the Arts Council. There are refreshments and live music, and it is generally impossible to have a bad time at Arts Night.

Chroma Interactive Acrylics

2007-11-03T09:39:00.000-04:00

On November 3, 2007, the Art League of Ocean City hosted a demonstration and workshop for Chroma Interactive Acrylics. Artist Julie Starling was our instructor and really conveyed her excitement about these products. Basically, they are a line of acrylic paints that can be reactivated with water or "unlocking formula" after they have dried. So for anyone who is frustrated that acrylics do not behave more like oil paints or watercolors, this is the right product line for you.

However, this is not the right product line for me. I wrote up a review of the workshop and the products on Making Crafts in the Woods wherein I explain why I won't be stocking up on interactive acrylic paint anytime soon. More photos from the Chroma workshop are here. But my favorite picture was this one:

Robin and Maryanne settle their artistic differences using martial arts.

Hanging at the Co-Op Gallery

2007-10-29T11:40:00.000-04:00

I just installed one of my "Sea Stars" at the Worcester County Arts Council's Co-Op Gallery in Berlin, Maryland. It is the fourth painting in the series.

Fabric of Snow Hill

2007-09-22T23:05:00.000-04:00

Arts on the River invited artists, designers, architects, schools and other community groups from the Snow Hill, Maryland, area to create "quilt squares" for the 2007 Public Art Project. My painting Barn Raising is in the center of the bottom row among the assemblage of 22 artworks combined into a large "quilt." The quilt was displayed in Snow Hill on September 22, 2007, in conjunction with the nearby Nassawango Quilt Festival at Furnace Town. Each artwork was individually auctioned to support the arts mission of the Snow Hill Alliance for Responsible Progress (SHARP).

When asked to create a piece of art that was representative of Snow Hill, I was overwhelmed by the strong sense of community. Because of the quilt festival and my obsession with the images of quilts and quilters archived and made available online by the The Library of Congress, I immediately made a connection between quilts and the act of communal barn raising. I wanted to represent the unified, creative, regenerative action of the Snow Hill community with the image of the barn raising quilt pattern and strong hands stitching it all together.

There are quite a few things going on in this photograph. Standing on the stage, holding a painting of a tractor, and dressed in black is Ann Coates, owner and operator of Bishop's Stock Fine Art & Fine Craft in Snow Hill, Maryland. Ann is also very active in the community and in SHARP. The barefoot woman in the front is quilter Barbara Hudson, and her framed quilt called Cross Canoes is leaning against the stage on the left (behind the woman in the white capri pants). Barbara was the chairperson of the Nassawango Quilt Festival, "Quilts on the Line," and she purchased my painting, Barn Raising, at the charity auction that day. I donated half of the proceeds of the sale back to SHARP.

Montgomery County Women's Journal

2007-09-01T06:32:00.000-04:00

Arts Feature: Visual Echoes
August/September 2007

Tell us about yourself.
My name is Barbara Mowery, and I am originally from Ashton, in Montgomery County, MD. My husband and I moved to Ocean City, MD in 2005. Back when I was only a tourist in Ocean City, I never realized that Delmarva has a rich and thriving arts community. Now I am a member of the Worcester County Arts Council (WCAC) and the Art League of Ocean City (ALOC). Living in the center of it, my dance card could be full every week of the year: opening receptions for shows at the art leagues and private galleries, arts walks in Snow Hill, Berlin and Chincoteague, and annual events like Arts Night at Seacrets and the Arts Alive Festival…the list goes on and on. Yes, I am completely spoiled.

What is the first thing you can remember making by hand?
My fondest childhood memories involve art supplies: tempera paints, paper mache, glue, Play-Doh, and building blocks. But I mainly remember using them outside on the porch or in the yard. My mom definitely encouraged my creativity but was not a fan of art materials being tracked through the house. Now that I own carpet, I see her point.

What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from?
I love repeating shapes, so I fill my paintings with visual echoes. This is probably why I’m totally inspired by vintage quilt patterns at the moment. The Library of Congress has a fantastic online collection of photos of quilters and their work. I am fascinated by the care that goes into hand quilting and the toll it takes on the hands lifelong quilters. But specific inspiration sources come and go for me. More generally I find my ideas in literature, art history, mythology, photos of family and friends, and the local landscape. And although I’m told, "Puns are the lowest form of humor," I cannot resist infusing my artwork with exaggeration, wordplay, and terrible visual puns.

What are your favorite art materials to work with?
Acrylic paints are my number one favorite material. They are the chameleons of the paint world, able to behave with the transparency of watercolor or the depth of oil, depending upon the technique the artist chooses. And yet they have a personality all their own. I love all the options that acrylics offer but tend to stick with traditional painting techniques. I also enjoy making collages out of found paper and making linoleum block prints.

Could you tell us about your paintings?
I am always asked to describe my paintings, and I always stumble on answering. If I could talk a painting, then wouldn’t I be better off as a poet? My paintings are representational, but the images are simplified. I reduce the subject to its essential elements: line, color, form, and narrative. For example, a shadow may be represented as a thick, expressive line, and an emotion may become a strong color. The finished product may look like a page from a grownup’s coloring book, but the painting process is pretty labor-intensive.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
By day I am a paralegal. By night I teach drawing and acrylic painting classes to adults in Berlin at the WCAC and in Ocean City at the ALOC. It’s challenging and fun to come up with art exercises that push my students out of their comfort zone and get them thinking about their artwork in different ways. Most of all I want my students to learn to trust themselves artistically. I post upcoming class dates and details in the News section of my website, www.bbmowery.com.

What shows or events are upcoming for you?
I am so excited to be participating in the 2007 Arts on the River Public Art Project! Arts on the River has invited artists, designers, architects, schools and other community groups from the Snow Hill, MD area to create "quilt squares" for this year's Public Art Project. My painting "Barn Raising" will be part of an assemblage of 22 artworks combined into a large "quilt." The quilt will be displayed at the Nassawango Outdoor Quilt Show at Furnace Town Living Heritage Museum on September 22 and 23, 2007. All of the artworks will be sold at a fundraiser on September 22, 2007, and the proceeds will benefit community art programs.

Photographs provided by the artist.

Beginning Drawing Class

2007-08-01T17:44:00.000-04:00

In late summer 2007, I taught a beginning drawing course at the Worcester County Arts Council. The classes were one evening a week for six weeks in the hottest part of the summer, but the students hung in there with me and were extremely serious about their work.

By the end of the course, I think everyone--including me--was sick of seeing my collection of plastic fruit. Unlike my painting classes, this was a very traditional series of lessons beginning with contour drawings and measuring and eventually working our way to perspective and shading. Drawing is the foundation for every other discipline in the visual arts (except maybe interpretive dance), so I hope that they left the class feeling more confident in their skills and with a few extra tools up their sleeves.

(More photos from art classes are here.)

Snow Hill sketchbook

2007-06-01T22:44:00.000-04:00

During Paint Snow Hill 2007, I ran around town with my sketchbook and a fist full of markers. I only fully finished one painting, so probably should have been painting more. But I did come wind up with several nice drawings.

The canoe rental at Shad Landing.

A large tree on Goat Island.

The weeping willow behind the inn.

Another artist working on the hillside--I thought she looked "so cool" dressed in linen and standing in the shade.

And finally West Market Street, which was the basis for the painting.

Paint Snow Hill 2007

2007-05-28T17:15:00.000-04:00

Fifty-three artists participated in Paint Snow Hill 2007, a plein air painting event organized by Bishop's Stock Fine Art & Fine Craft in Snow Hill, Maryland. Ann Coates worked tirelessly to keep us full of coffee and good cheer for the three days. Artists traveled from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and all over Maryland. Plein air painting means "open air" painting. The goal is to capture a particular moment of time--the atmospheric conditions, temperature, and quality of light. This style of painting requires the artist to work quickly, recording their impressions of the scene.

Yep, I'm not really a plein air painter. I like my studio. But I had a lot of fun participating in this event and met a lot of great local (Delmarva) artists. My painting "West Market Street" was juried into the show that followed the event at Bishop's Stock during the month of May 2007, where it was sold. I think the owner of the mint green house on the far left was the purchaser.

Art Postcards From Away

2007-05-27T16:35:00.000-04:00

Art Postcards "From Away" was a mail art show and benefit sale hosted by the Deer Isle Artist Association in Deer Isle, Maine, from May 25-27, 2007. I submitted a linoleum block print of a mermaid holding a bird with waves and fish in the background. This scan makes the yellow paper look way more radioactive than it did in real life.

Printmaking Periodic Table

2007-05-05T10:12:00.000-04:00

About the Project
I stumbled upon a call for entries on organizer Jennifer Schmitt's blog. She was looking for printmakers of all skill levels to select an element from the periodic table and create an image. You can see the entire artistic rendering of the periodic table. Click on an element for a larger view and description. She also has a list of links to the 91 contributing artists. You can visit the project homepage for links to all things periodic, and catch news and updates on the project blog. The project was featured in an article on Etsy because many of the contributing artists are also Etsy sellers.

About Germanium
From Encarta: "Germanium, symbol Ge, hard, brittle, grayish-white, crystalline semimetallic element. The atomic number of germanium is 32; it is in group 14 (of IVa) of the periodic table." Dmitry Mendeleyev predicted its existence and properties in 1871. Germanium was discovered by German chemist Clemens Alexander Winkler in 1886. Germanium can pass electrical currents in a single direction and was used in transistors, diodes, and rectifiers from World War II through the early 1970s when it began to be replaced by silicon. Nowadays germanium is used in fiber optics, infrared night vision systems, wide angle camera lenses, microscope objective lenses, and polymerization catalysts. Oh, and it's really shiny.

About the Print
All the descriptions of semiconductors and solid state electronics made me picture the guts of a calculator--probably never an actual use for germanium. No circuit boards were harmed in the making of this block print. I used good old Speedball water soluble block printing inks and 2 linoleum blocks. The silver paper, which is lighter and more reflective in real life than in this picture (used the scanner, not the camera), is some kind of scrapbooking paper. I am definitely at the amateur end of the skill spectrum when it comes to printmaking. This was the first print I made using more than one block and more than one color for the image, and I am pleased with the off-kilter results.

Acrylic Painting Class

2007-05-01T17:28:00.000-04:00

The third acrylic painting course that I taught at the Worcester County Arts Council, in Berlin, Maryland, was in the spring of 2007. These students--Judy, Betty, and Tom--were not afraid of color.

This was Tom's purse, which might sound funny, but his wife and sister-in-law hand make and sell high end purses. (Unfortunately their website does not appear to still be up and running, but they sell under the name Linanz.) Tom used a photo of one of the purses as his source for this painting.

Betty had too much energy to sit down and paint for two hours--me, too!

Judy found a photo of this woman in a magazine, although I think that Judy's rendering is more striking and inspired than the photo.

(More photos from art classes are here.)

Ocean City Arts Night

2007-04-26T14:10:00.000-04:00

The Art League of Ocean City sponsored Arts Night at Seacrets, in Ocean City, Maryland. This event was a exhibition and sale showcasing local artists, complete with live music, food, drinks, and a raffle for custom pastel portrait by Stasia Heubeck. I had four painting hanging in the show. It was a wonderful evening--I hope that the Art League and Seacrets make this an annual event.

Ocean City Public Library

2007-03-30T11:22:00.000-04:00

I had a solo exhibition at the Ocean City Library for the month of March 2007.

Whatever I was about to say to my esteemed photographer Robb probably could have waited until after he took the picture. Heh! But it would have been even funnier if he had taken pictures while I was hanging the show. I had to stand up on the returns desk and make a lot of noise hammering nails into the wall...at the library. Shhh!

Go! Magazine in The Salisbury Daily Times

2007-02-01T06:33:00.000-05:00

Classes stir creativity: Arts council offers residents a way to get in touch with artistic side
By Amber McDonald
February 1, 2007

Due to a very flexible nature and consistent drying time, acrylic painting is a unique art medium, which provides many advantages to painting, but also comes with its own set of limitations.

According to Barbara Mowery, a local artist who teaches an acrylic art class, acrylics are a water based paint with no solvents and are very versatile.

"I have been painting with them about 13 years," Mowery said. "I have painted with watercolors and oil paints, and I think I like the instant gratification that comes from the fast drying acrylics. Also, with acrylics you can paint over and correct things, whereas with watercolor if you make a mistake, that's it."

Mowery said because acrylic paints are not corrosive, they can be applied to almost any surface. This is very different from water and oil paints. Oil paints are corrosive and can decompose canvas and watercolor paints must be applied to paper so the water can be absorbed, she said.

Artists can paint just about anything with acrylics, whether it is a bottle of wine, a view of the
Atlantic Ocean, a portrait or something abstract, she said.

Acrylic paints are used like a traditional oil paint. Mowery said there are also numerous acrylic additives and mediums that can be used to do different things with acrylics such as speed up or slow down the drying process.

When acrylics dry, sometimes certain parts are shinier than others, giving it an uneven sheen. Artists can buy gloss mediums or matte gel mediums to go over the acrylic and give it an even sheen, while also preserving the painting.

Working in a law office as her primary occupation, Mowery refers to herself as a "painter with a day job." She teaches an acrylics art class through the Worcester County Arts Council in Berlin, which welcomes artists on all skill levels.

"I'm always trying to come up with a new project to push the students out of their comfort zone," she said. "I try to get them to be inspired by different subjects, and to notice different aspects like lighting and coloring."

Photographs by Peter J. Casey for The Daily Times, January 2007.

Acrylic Painting Class

2007-01-22T17:10:00.000-05:00

The second acrylic painting course that I taught at the Worcester County Arts Council was much larger--seven students I believe. Again, the classes were one evening a week for six weeks. We had a lot of fun experimenting with painting techniques (Sue pictured above) and attempting some abstract painting (Ken pictured below).

And here are the results of the Monet Color-Mixing Challenge from the last night of class. Each student received a piece of paper canvas with a sliver of a Monet landscape painting in the middle. The challenge was to imagine and create the rest of the painting on both sides, matching the paint colors and brush strokes well enough that the printed strip would be camoflauged. More difficult than it sounds. I think the students impressed themselves with the results.

(More photos from art classes are here.)

Gallery of sold paintings

2007-01-01T07:23:00.000-05:00

Sea Stars 6.
Acrylic on paper canvas, 6" x 4", 2006.

West Market Street.
Acrylic on canvas, 12" x 6", 2007.

Barn Raising.
Acrylic on canvas, 12" x 12", 2007.

Working in a series

2006-12-31T11:02:00.000-05:00

I find that working out an idea in a series of paintings is a good way to explore variations on a single theme. Robb and I took tons of photographs of sea stars on vacation last summer on Orcas Island in Washington.

I fell in love sea stars and starfish because they sprawl around like rude houseguests. They would definitely put their feet on your coffee table and belch after way too much to drink.

I slowed down painting sea stars about the same time I started attending the weekly life drawing sessions at the Rehoboth Art League in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The Tuesday night Sketch Group meets in the Chambers Studio from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The cost is $5 per session, and you need not register in advance.

These guys in particular look like the "running man" and the "lawn sprinkler" might be their best dance moves.

Dear Picasso Mail Art Show

2006-12-22T16:44:00.000-05:00

I have long been fascinated by the fact that Picasso wrestled with the portrait of his friend Pedro Manach and finally depicted him in a bullfighter's stance. So when Zip 37 Gallery, in Denver, Colorado, had a call for entries for a Picasso-themed mail art show, I sent along one of my paper doll Picassos for the show. I submitted "Surf Pedro" (top left). The show ran from December 22, 2006 through January 14, 2007. But still laying around in my flat file are "Manach Made of Words," "Manach in the Moon," and "Manach of the Earth."

Holiday Open House

2006-12-08T16:28:00.000-05:00

I had a solo exhibition of my paintings at the Grace United Church of Christ Holiday Open House in Baltimore, Maryland. I also sold some reproductions and greeting cards.

Holly Days Show & Sale

2006-12-01T14:08:00.000-05:00

Here is the rainbow of handknit scarves I made for the Holly Days Show & Sale at the Worcester County Arts Council.

Acrylic Painting Class

2006-11-15T17:03:00.000-05:00

This was the first acrylic painting course that I taught at the Worcester County Arts Council in Berlin, Maryland. Class was one evening a week for six weeks, and I was very fortunate to have three dedicated and adventurous students: Sarah, Kristie, and Robin.

More photos from art classes are here.

New American Saints

2006-08-25T09:49:00.000-04:00

I was noodling around with the idea of creating some images of uniquely American saints, and my sketchbook gave birth to these two angels of our democracy: Our Lady of the Holy Hand Grenade and St. Wilmington. The hand grenade symbolizes our devotion to violence. I can flip though channels in the evening and see dozens of graphic depictions of violent crime on television, but--God forbid--any nudity or foul language should hit the airwaves. And Wilmington, Delaware, is one of the credit card capitols of the nation. The city has designated separate zip codes specifically for receiving credit card payments.

Doodles of tourists

2006-07-01T10:54:00.000-04:00

Robb heard a father shout this to his child. These were a series of cartoons I made in honor of the tourist behavior we observed while living in Ocean City.

No shirt, no shoes, no problem--go right on in and apply for a loan.

The caption came from a coworker who agreed that use of foul language should result in someone being kicked out of the pool. Although smoking and drinking at the pool were fine by her. I drew my tourist with a sunburn, no sunscreen, a lit cigarette, a beer belly, a 6-pack, a bag of chips, and perhaps some littering going on. I'm just not sure which activity sets the worst example.

Working in a series

2006-05-01T09:58:00.000-04:00

The organizers of the annual Fiddler's Convention in Berlin, Maryland, asked local artists to submit design proposals for their marketing materials. In response I created a series of paintings that combined bluegrass musicians with vintage quilt patterns because the theme for the 2006 convention was to be "Fiddlers, Folks & Freedom."

I limited the color palette to give the group of paintings a unified feel: red, ochre, and blue. Also, these colors hint at a patriotic red, white, and blue.

In this fourth painting I incorporated the architectural shape of a historic building in the Town of Berlin into the background. I thought this would be a better fit with what the organizers were looking for. The event coordinators did not choose to use local artwork in 2006 and instead opted for a combination of photographs and logos. However, they did use local artwork by Patrick Henry in 2007 and Jim Adcock in 2008.

Cy Twombly (1928- )

2006-02-01T16:15:00.000-05:00

"A painter paints the appearance of things, not their objective correctness, in fact he creates new appearances of things."

Gallery of sold paintings

2006-01-01T07:15:00.000-05:00

Deer Isle 1.
Acrylic on paper canvas, 2006.

Deer Isle 2.
Acrylic on paper canvas, 6" x 4", 2006.

Double Wedding Ring.
Acrylic on gessobord, 20" x 16", 2006.

Sea Stars 1.
Acrylic on canvas, 12" x 9", 2006.

Sea Stars 3.
Acrylic on canvas, 10" x 8", 2006.

Sea Stars 5.
Acrylic on paper canvas, 6" x 4", 2006.

Fall Arts Night

2005-11-30T11:52:00.000-05:00

For Fall Arts Night in Berlin, Maryland, I was a featured artist at A Step Above Gallery along with painter Cassie Hillis and photographer Jim Conely.

Worcester County Times

2005-11-03T06:35:00.000-05:00

A Step Above to Spotlight Change of Seasons
November 3, 2005

BERLIN - A "Change of Seasons" art show will kick off at A Step Above Art Gallery in Berlin with a reception on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 2-5 p.m. The November show will feature artists Cassie Hillis with her oils, Barbara Mowery with her acrylics, and Jim Conely and his photos of Delmarva.

Mowery, a recent transplant to Ocean City, is showing her work for the first time on the Delmarva Peninsula. Although largely self-taught, she has studied at Bridgewater College and Montgomery College. She has a unique style of painting that uses flat vivid colors and expressive lines to push the limits of the canvas. She simplifies shapes to emphasize important features of the people, animals, and landscapes she paints. Her sassy paintings spring from her knowledge of art history and mythology.

Photographs by Cameron Adams for the Worcester County Times, November 2005.

FeatherFest

2005-10-01T09:02:00.000-04:00

FeatherFest was a public art project planned by The Centre at Salisbury (the mall in Salisbury, Maryland). Local artists were to decorate 4 foot by 4 foot fiberglass chickens to be displayed in the mall. The designs would be chosen by a committee, and each chicken would be sponsored by a local business or individual. I submitted my design application which included proposals for five chickens. I spoke with the marketing manager at the mall several times about the status of the project as it was delayed a few months while she recruited more sponsors. Although the mall had a storage unit full of gigantic fiberglass chickens, eventually the project was postponed indefinitely. My application materials and original drawings were returned, and they are resting in my flat file. As far as I know FeatherFest in Salisbury never happened. Too bad because it was fun coming up with ideas for the chickens.

Teriyaki comes from two Japanese words: "teri" meaning luster and "yaki" meaning to grill or broil. Better for this chicken to wear a kimono than to fill a dinner plate.

Get it? Jackson Pollock the abstract expressionist painter? Pollo = chicken. I know, terrible pun.

Poultry meets Swampman: part fish, part fowl. Funny how feathers and fish scales look pretty similar.

Why Did the Road Cross the Chicken? I flipped the famous question around and discovered Route 50, the main artery through Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Mrs. Steele's Accidental 500. I researched the history of the poultry farming in Delmarva at the Ocean City Library. In 1923 Ocean View, Delaware, became the birthplace of the commercial broiler industry, when Cecile Long Steele was mistakenly shipped 500 chicks instead of the 50 that she ordered. She kept them, raised them, and prospered. The rest is Delmarva history.

Working in a series

2005-09-01T10:47:00.000-04:00

My husband's parents wanted me to create a painting to commemorate their first trip to Ireland. I looked through their mountain of vacation photos and was quite taken by the Cliffs of Moher. I, myself, have not been to Ireland, so I only had their photographs and descriptions to inform my paintings. I created this series of paintings to explore several different variations on the scene.

We selected this third painting as their Christmas gift this year because it prominently features a lonely watchtower.

I worked on all five paintings at the same time, so the color palettes are very unified. This was my first time experimenting with outlining in ultramarine blue--I thought that black would be too harsh for these scenes. If I try outlining in a different color again, it will not be with ultramarine blue. It is too transparent, and consequently made my already labor-intensive method of work more laborious than usual.

Tmomma asked for it

2005-01-10T13:44:00.000-05:00

Since Ms. Tmomma asked to see more of my paintings from before 2005...

Elliott Smith Goes to Heaven.
Acrylic on canvas, 14" x 11", 2004.
The handwritten text is lyrics from an Elliott Smith song: I'll sing the praises of my maker's name / Like I was as good as she made me / And I wanted her to tell me that she would never wake me.

Nepthis Seduces Osiris.
Acrylic on canvas, 14" x 11", 2004.
I have also found her name spelled Nephthys, Nebet-het, and Nebt-het. In Egyptian mythology Nepthis is a goddess and the sister of the goddess Isis. Isis is wife of the god Osiris. Osiris is always depicted with green skin because he is the god of rebirth. So, I happened upon this myth about how Nepthis wanted a child, so she disguised herself by putting a basket over her head and seduced Osiris. I guess she tricked him? I thought this story was pretty hilarious. We are to believe that Osiris, merciful judge of the dead and grantor of all vegetative life, could not tell the difference between his own wife and his sister-in-law with a basket on her head.

Thought-Woman.
Acrylic on canvas, 40" x 30", 2004.
I wrote about this painting here.

Lust.
Acrylic on canvas, 2004.

Betsey and The Whale.
Acrylic on canvas, 2004.

Does This Dress Make Me Look Fertile?
Acrylic on canvas, 2003.

Hole Heart.
Acrylic on canvas, 2003.
(This painting was destroyed.)

Romulus and Remus.
Acrylic on canvas, 8" x 10", 2005.
The subtitle could be: how to gross out my mom. Please explain how she, herself, can be a twin and not be familiar with the myth about the founding of Rome. Romulus and Remus were thrown into the Tiber River because of a prophesy--babies are always being abandoned in Roman mythology because of prophesy--that they would overthrow Amulius as king. But the river gods saved the babies and cared for them. They were nursed by a wolf, Lupa, and later a shepherd took them in.

Gallery of sold paintings

2005-01-05T06:59:00.000-05:00

Birth of Venus. (Portrait of Angie)
Acrylic on canvas, 20" x 16", 2005.

Standing on the Back of the Whale Fishing for Minnows.
Acrylic on canvas, 11" x 14", 2004.

Robb and the Fish.
Acrylic on canvas, 14" x 11", 2004.

Acadia.
Acrylic on canvas, 24" x 18", 2003.

I Would Not Choose Any Other...
Acrylic on canvas, 24" x 30", 2003.

Lighthouse.
Watercolor on paper, approx. 8" x 10", 1997.

Collage

2005-01-04T13:30:00.000-05:00

My college painting instructor urged us students to make preliminary collages before we started painting. Sometimes the results are so nice that the little collages can stand alone as artwork in their own right. Here are two collages I made in 2002. Above is the lighthearted "Inside-Outside," and below is more serious "Kronos after Goya." The tiny print at the bottom is from an art history text book: Cannibalism stories have ancient roots; here, Goya depicts Greek myth of the god Kronos eating his child. Except my image is a modern girl devouring the feminists of yesteryear--child eating parent.

Philomathean

2005-01-03T14:07:00.000-05:00

Two of my drawings published in the Philomathean (Volume 27, Spring 2000) issue, which is the Bridgewater College annual literary journal. Above is "Face," and below is "Vogue."

Kline Center Gallery, Bridgewater College

2005-01-02T13:09:00.000-05:00

In the Fall of 1999, I was among three Bridgewater College students not majoring in art who were invited to hold solo exhibitions of their artwork in the Kline Center Gallery. My show was titled "Things Recollected" and included paintings, drawings, and collages from 1996 to 1999.

(The Kline Center Gallery no longer exists on Bridgewater's campus. Student artwork and visiting exhibitions are now displayed in the Cleo Driver Miller Gallery in the library and the Stairwell Gallery.)

Curriculum Vitae

2005-01-01T06:12:00.010-05:00

Exhibitions
2012
Holiday Craft Fair, Grace United Church of Christ, Baltimore, Maryland - upcoming November
Wet Paint Show and Sale, Arts on the River, Snow Hill, Maryland - upcoming April
2011
Elemental Matters: Artists Imagine Chemistry, Chemical Heritage Foundation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Wet Paint Show and Sale, Arts on the River, Snow Hill, Maryland
2010
Holiday Craft Fair, Grace United Church of Christ, Baltimore, Maryland
Grace Church Beach Fest, Rash Field, Baltimore, Maryland
Solomons Paint the Town exhibition, Dowell, Maryland
Wet Paint Show and Sale, Arts on the River, Snow Hill, Maryland
2009
Holiday Craft Fair, Grace United Church of Christ, Baltimore, Maryland
Wet Paint Show and Sale, Arts on the River, Snow Hill, Maryland
Worcester County Arts Council Co-op Gallery, Berlin and Snow Hill, Maryland
2008
Holiday Craft Fair, Grace United Church of Christ, Baltimore, Maryland
James G. Barrett Medical Office Building, Berlin, Maryland
Paint Snow Hill, Bishop's Stock Fine Art & Fine Craft, Snow Hill, Maryland, juried exhibition
Spring Arts Night, Worcester County Arts Council, Berlin, Maryland
Worcester County Arts Council Co-op Gallery, Berlin, Maryland
2007
Art Postcards "From Away", Deer Isle Artists Association, Maine, mail art show
Fabric of Snow Hill, 2007 Arts on the River Public Art Project, Snow Hill, Maryland
Fall Arts Night, Worcester County Arts Council, Berlin, Maryland
Holly Days Show & Sale, Worcester County Arts Council, Berlin, Maryland
Ocean City Arts Night, Seacrets, Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City Public Library, Ocean City, Maryland, solo exhibition
Paint Snow Hill, Bishop's Stock Fine Art & Fine Craft, Snow Hill, Maryland, juried exhibition
Spring Arts Night, Worcester County Arts Council, Berlin, Maryland
Worcester County Arts Council Co-op Gallery, Berlin, Maryland
2006
Dear Picasso, Zip 37 Gallery, Denver, Colorado, mail art show
Fall Arts Night, Worcester County Arts Council, Berlin, Maryland
Holiday Open House, Grace United Church of Christ, Baltimore, Maryland, solo exhibition
Holly Days Show & Sale, Worcester County Arts Council, Berlin, Maryland
Worcester County Arts Council Co-op Gallery, Berlin, Maryland
2005
Change of Seasons, A Step Above Art Gallery, Berlin, Maryland
2000
Drawings published in Philomathean, Volume 27, Spring issue
1999
Things Recollected, Kline Center Gallery, Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, Virginia, solo exhibition

Teaching Experience
2007
Advanced Acrylic Techniques Workshop, Art League of Ocean City, August
Intro to Acrylics Workshop, Art League of Ocean City, July
Beginning Drawing, Worcester County Arts Council, July-August
Acrylic Painting, Worcester County Arts Council, April-May
Acrylic Painting, Worcester County Arts Council, January-February
2006
Acrylic Painting, Worcester County Arts Council, October-November

Memberships
Art League of Ocean City, 2005-2008
Ocean City Lioness Club, 2007-2008
Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, 2010-present
Northern Calvert Lions Club, 2008-2010
Worcester County Arts Council, 2005-present

Activities
Archive Knitalong, Long Beach Island Foundation, 2008, contributor
Art League of Ocean City home tour, 2005, volunteer
Art’s Alive Festival, 2006 & 2007, volunteer
Community Church Choir, 2005-2007

Maryland Coast Day, 2005 & 2007, volunteer
Mt. Washington Paint Out, 2009, participant
Paint Snow Hill, 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010, participant
Periodic Table Print Project, 2007, contributor (Ge - germanium)
Rehoboth Art League weekly life drawing studio, 2007, participant
Solomons-Paint the Town, 2009 & 2010, participant
Worcester County Arts Council, 2005-2009, gallery volunteer

Education
Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, Virginia
Bachelor of Arts in English
Relevant Courses: Art History, Beginning Painting, Independent Study in Painting, Two-Dimensional Concentration

Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland
Relevant Courses: Art History I, Art History II, Drawing I, History of Asian Art, Intaglio Printmaking

Updated 01/22/2012