Bigby – mixed media

Original abstract collage by Deborah Bowen of Silver Lake, Michigan.  Mixed media on panel.  Natural maple float frame.   10 x 10 in.

"Bigby gets it title from the piece of collage I left showing clearly.  a piece of a Bigby coffee bag.  My dad loves their chocolate muffins and loves to share them!" – Deborah Bowen.

About the artist:

Deborah Bowen is a non-objective abstract oil and mixed media painter.  She paints large and small expressing an emotion of place and time.  Each painting is an exercise in developing a beautiful and complex surface to reveal her voice. She wants the viewer to see a balanced painting with harmonious color and a clear value pattern. I also want the painting to invite the viewer closer to see what is barely visible under the surface. This is where the struggle and the discoveries are made.  Her  art is process driven. She has no planned idea of what the finished painting will be. It is in the making that the direction to its completion is made clear. Each move she makes  leads her to the next. Selecting a size and color palette is all I need to begin.  She wants her paintings to invite a conversation with the viewer where a connection happens.

A few of her awards include:

• 2020 BBAC President’s Award, 39th Annual Michigan Fine Arts Competition, Birmingham Bloomfield Arts Center
• 2018 Juror Award First Place, Winter Arts Festival; Gallery Uptown, Grand Haven, Michigan
• 2018 Michigan Rag Award, Winter Arts Festival; Gallery Uptown, Grand Haven, Michigan

Artist's Statement:

"We human's are always asking why: and sometimes there is no finding of a reasonable solution. So we struggle on, working to bring order to chaos. This has been my experience, and so it presents itself in my creative work" – Deborah Bowen.