We sat down with Andrea Kowch to discuss her never-before-seen work, upcoming solo exhibition and life as a new mom.
Who are some of the biggest influences for your artwork?
There are several artists whom I admire and feel are influential in many ways. Among them are the Wyeths; Northern Renaissance/Flemish painters such as Pieter Bruegel and Rogier van der Weyden; Italian masters Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli and Raphael; and the work of the American Regionalists—Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton and John Steuart Curry, to name a few—as well as the [Workers Progress Administration] art that was produced in America during the 1930s and 1940s, depicting the industriousness and strength of the human spirit.
Andrea Kowch sits in front of a limited edition print of her work Nocturne.
What would you say attracts you the most to this style of work?
Hailing from the American Midwest myself, and still living and working here today, I’m only becoming more aware and inspired by the history, landscapes and people that shape our region. Thus, the work and subject matter of these artists particularly influence and resonate with me. There is an inexplicable enchantment I feel when gazing upon their works. The way their technique, color, composition, tone, subject matter, mood and symbolism (to name a few) all work together so seamlessly to create enthralling stories that capture the viewer is my definition of great art. They move me emotionally, and speak to my soul on a very profound level. Andrew Wyeth and da Vinci, in particular, have been two artists that, aside from their work, hold personal philosophies on art and life [that] have resonated most deeply with me and helped shape my own vision as an artist. Their attention to craft, technique and the soulful, unspoken, narrative magic their own paintings exude speak to me in ways beyond what words can express. Artists whose works reveal their personal connection to their respective environments strike a very deep chord with me, for I, too, can’t imagine straying far from this landscape around me that serves as the cradle to my creativity. There’s clearly an unspoken, indescribable mystical “feeling” that possesses us, that, by some kind of supernatural force or other, keeps an enchanted hold on us that always pulls us back “home.”
Steadfast, acrylic on canvas, 16 x 12"
How did you first get in to painting?
I always had an innate need to paint from a very young age. But I did not officially make the decision to be an artist until I was in high school, after winning several Scholastic Art Awards. That’s when I knew. My passion for painting began getting serious around the age of 12. I began teaching myself how to paint, looking at books of art by Old Masters that I was amazed by, and trying as hard as I could to emulate that level of perfection. I still have that same hunger to reach those levels of perfection in my work today. I continue to hone my craft by staying passionate and working to consistently improve my skills on all levels—conceptually, technically and emotionally. One of the biggest challenges I face with each new body of work is the question of how do I keep my work steadily evolving in order to avoid repetition and make each piece greater than the last? And, how can I achieve this while still maintaining consistency and staying personally satisfied, inspired and true to my message and myself all at the same time? It’s a very delicate juggling act that is both challenging and rewarding when achieved successfully.
Matriarch, acrylic on canvas, 14 x 14"
Expectation, acrylic on canvas, 10 x 10"
What inspired the work featured in your upcoming exhibition at RJD Gallery?
As always, emotions, memories, experiences, personal growth, rites of passage and moods that become stirred in me as a result of my visual surroundings all serve as gateways to my creativity. The way the wind blows across an open, expansive field, the strength and fragility of it. The space, clarity and simplicity of nature, balanced against the complexity of the human condition. Something bigger speaks through me, resulting in the imagery I create. I draw on various moods, emotions and psychological factors of the human experience, the dark and light sides of our feeling nature and the yearnings and inner quest to merge the two. For me, painting is partly my way of searching and attaining peace and understanding of others and myself. Things of mystery intrigue me, and I am drawn to painting raw beauty and psychological truths. Anything that conjures up imagery of a bygone America and way of life also resonates with me on a deep level.
Sojourn, limited edition signed print on archival paper, 24 x 20"Matriarch, Expectation and Steadfast have never been published before—why have you decided to share them with American Art Collector?
These are among my most recent works completed in 2019. For the last four years all of my artworks have been purchased sight unseen. Most often, future works are defined by the collector’s budget and/or the size of the work the collector is seeking to best integrate into their art collection. Many also find this to be a wonderful way to purchase my work as gifts for others in their life. Thus, many of these artworks have never been seen outside of the collectors’ homes, and we welcomed this opportunity with American Art Collector to share them with the magazine’s readers. At this time, RJD Gallery has already sold all the artworks I can paint between now and the third quarter of 2021.
Reunion, limited edition signed print on archival paper, 36 x 36"
Can you tell me more about the inspiration behind these works?
Life impacts all of us differently, but artists often reflect upon life changes and express their experiences, sharing their unique emotional journeys through their works of art. All of my works are metaphorical self-portraits. So, naturally, these new works reflect the current evolution of my life, both intentionally and unintentionally, and sometimes, even foreshadow hints of where my life is leading me. Matriarch, as an example, was a painting I was working on for a group show I was kindly invited to partake in at the Dorothy Circus Gallery in London, themed and titled Mother and Child. It was during my work on this painting when I found out that my husband and I were expecting our first child, a son, who was born just this October. It was one of those awe-inspiring moments where I became reminded of how magically life can unfold if you allow it. Here
I was, creating a painting based on a theme that was a departure from my usual subjects when, ultimately, it was a sign of the next, new narrative unfolding in my own life. Steadfast and Expectation were the works that followed Matriarch, speaking further, in many ways, to the intricate, touching journey that this year has been for me as an expectant, first-time mother, and the complexities of what it means to remain resilient throughout the endless cycles of transition and rebirth we undergo throughout our lives.
How do these new pieces differ from your past work?
My interest in life and Americana continues to evolve and play a significant role as I hone the ways in which I merge styles and time periods to create a contemporary work of art. When viewers look at my work, I want the effect to be one of a unique and timeless world that touches on a multitude of emotions and states of mind that make up the human experience, striking a cord in viewers’ hearts so that they can open up to themselves and allow a freeing of spirit.
Each new body of work is a deeper progression of my narrative themes, where I seek to further refine the figurative and emotional aspects of my work through evolution of mood, concept, tone and technique. For the past few years, my goal has been to create paintings that feel like pages of a larger story, with each one serving as an extension of the last. I seek to delve deeper in that direction, to evoke mystery and intrigue with the intent of promoting reflection and expanding imagination on the part of the viewer. The quest to achieve balance between tone, atmosphere and composition so that they work as a whole to generate narrative and tension is a major aspect of my work that I continuously seek to advance.
RJD Gallery
2385 Main Street • Bridgehampton, NY 11932
(631) 725-1161 • www.rjdgallery.com
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