Blog

I hope everyone is well and truly launched into a healthy, happy and productive new year.  Opus Art Supplies has invited me to do two demonstrations at their location on Harold Street on March 4.  I will be painting with transparent acrylic paint with an occasional lapse using more opaque paint, to create glowing color with subtle value transitions.  The two demos are free but registration is required due to limited space.  For further information visit opusartsupplies.com.   Hope to see you there.  Paintings can be viewed at www.annebowen.ca

I hope you have all had a lovely and restful summer.  Just a short note to let you know I will be showing new works at the Main Art Gallery at the Cedar Hill Rec Centre for the month of November.  Please drop by and bring a friend.  Enjoy all the colors of fall and don't forget to kick some leaves.  More work can be viewed at www.annebowen.ca

Hello Everyone

Just an update on where I will be showing my work this summer. I hope you are enjoying this fantastic weather and hope to catch up with you at one of these shows.

Month of July - Moka House, Fisherman's Wharf

July 15 - TD Moss Street Paint-In, #13 corner of Revercomb and Moss, near the GV Art Gallery

Month of August - Oak Bay Marina Restaurant and Coffee Shop

I have launched my new series "West Coast Impressions" at these venues but these paintings can also be viewed at www.annebowen.ca.

Good morning everyone

Just a gentle reminder that Scattered Artists will be opening their homes and gardens on May 20 & 21, Sat. and Sun, 11:00 - 4:00. My address is 3735 Ascot Drive, north end of the Cedar Hill Golf Course. Lots of parking at the pond. Many heavily discounted paintings in aid of a local and an international animal rescue group. Weather is predicted to be warm and sunny so come out and enjoy the garden and the art. www.annebowen.ca

This painting won the Juror's Award at the Saanich Peninsula Arts and Crafts last month.

Scattered Artists Open Studio and Garden tour is 3 weeks away!! On May 20 and 21, 11:00 to 4:30 pm 17 artists will be opening their homes and gardens and showcasing their work. I will have many discounted works available in an effort to raise funds for a local and Mexican animal rescue organization. These groups take in abandoned, sick and mistreated pets, nurses them back to health and finds loving homes for them. Please come and enjoy the art and garden and say hello. My home is at 3735 Ascot Drive, north end of the Cedar Hill Golf Course. Lots of parking at the pond. Paintings can be viewed at www.annebowen.ca. email - bowena@shaw.ca.

Rosie - Lovely little Mexican Rescue

Sea Pearl - 24 x 30 inches

Happy Spring Everyone. The highly anticipated Victoria Sketch Club Painting Show is only 10 days away. Over 30 artists will be displaying their work at the Glenlyon School gym at 1701 Beach Ave. The show opens on Tues. March 14 at 7:00 and runs Wed. March 15 to Saturday March 18 from 10:00 - 7:00 pm, Sunday from 10:00 to 4:00.

I also have a solo show at the Cedar Hill Recreation Centre Coffee Shop Gallery, running from April 5th to 19th, recreation centre hours. Recent work can be viewed www.annebowen.ca.

Dear Friends

You are invited to a reception on Nov. 20, 1 - 3 pm in the lounge at Langham Court Theatre. Shelby Assenheimer and myself will be exhibiting our paintings from Nov. 16 to Dec. 3 with viewings from 12 - 4 daily and during the performances. It would be lovely to see you and catch up on the past few months now that the busy summer has retreated and a more relaxed fall is upon us.

On Saturday, October 1 I will be setting up a month long show of my latest work throughout the lobby and dining room at the Coast Harborside Hotel, 146 Kingston, near Fisherman's Wharf. I hope to be painting in the lobby area noon to 5 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I will have a selection of wax and watercolor pieces priced for Christmas gift giving. Please drop in if you are in the area. It is always wonderful to see patrons and friends. You can have a sneak peak at www.annebowen.ca.

I would like to invite you all to our garden, 3735 Ascot Drive on the 21st and 22nd (10:30 - 4:00) for the annual Scattered Artists Open Studio tour. This year I will be supporting the Ruhija orphanage in Uganda having visited there earlier this year when we were trekking for gorillas in Rwanda and also visiting Uganda to see the Chimpanzees. There are approx. 160 kids being looked after in very dire conditions and could use a little help with funding for clean accessible water, school supplies and teachers etc. I will have a poster board with some photos of the children and the orphanage itself. Lots of smaller art pieces (on a donation basis) will be available as well as heavily discounted large works. The 1/2 acre garden will be full of art and I hope you will come out and support this event. Latest artwork can be viewed at www.annebowen.ca.

Recently I had been asked how I go about starting and executing a painting, especially a representational painting. In this case a very good photo is absolutely necessary. It is important to be able to see the eyes and the points of light in the eyes as well as the direction and shading of the fur. So the first step is to transfer the rough drawing to the canvas. I gridded out the image and applied graphite to the back of the paper so that I could get the eyes, nose and mouth right. The first image is the photo I worked with. The second image is the initial wash of darks and lights and approximate local color.

The next step is to get a rough idea of the direction of the fur and start some of the detail such as the eyes, nose and mouth. Next I roughed in a background that I thought was complimentary to the amber color fur and intensified the lights and darks.

Next, I added more detail such as the whiskers, highlights, completed the background and corrected the color of the fur, eyes, etc. I paid attention to the little things such as the little patch of dark fur at her mouth and the wavy fur on her ears. As this was a commission I was particularly careful about what makes this dog unique.