Artist Peter Bowen Never Fails To Capture The Humour!

"Christmas at the Pole"

Framed Limited Edition Print,

Signed and Numbered with Authentication
Imagine what it would be like to visit Santa at the North Pole. All of the gifts have been delivered, the reindeer have been parked and it’s up to poor old Santa to put up the Christmas lights and get them working. Meanwhile, Mrs. Claus has been busy too, although she forgot about the wash outside that has now frozen as stiff as a board. The Elves are no where to be seen, hiding in their own igloo.

"See View Caravan Park" - 2009

The humorous look of camping on a hillside by the sea is the subject of this painting by Peter Bowen. First entered into the RWA Friends Annual Art Exhibition in Bristol.

Peter Bowen studied art and design at the former West of England College of Art in Bristol and embarked on a career as a graphic designer. He had the good fortune to live and work in Canada for over 30 years alongside a wide range of illustrators and commercial artists including James McConnell a watercolour artist from Donegal.

As a professional watercolour artist, Peter lives in the country near the beautiful cathedral city of Wells in Somerset. His unique style of painting architectural subjects with humorous situations has earned him an international reputation with much of his original work in private collections in Canada, the United States and Great Britain.

Peter’s ideas for pictures often start as a collection of ideas of things that he has seen creating  a composition in his mind that he believes will work. Peter often finds himself sketching directly on to watercolour paper with a fine pen, letting the lines do the work and form the framework of the picture. Colour elements follow and start to bring life to the work. Shading and tonal colour adds dimension to the framework of shapes.

Peter is a regular contributor to local art exhibitions and belongs to several art associations and clubs in the Somerset area including the Clifton Arts Club in Bristol and the Clevedon Art Club. Peter told us “This provides me with the opportunity to meet other artists and to promote the resources that the SAA has to offer”.

Peter’s work was exhibited at the following exhibitions in 2010

July 2010 Art Show of Prints by Peter Bowen at the Whitehall Garden Centre, Lacock, Wiltshire.

July 2010 - 4 Paintings entered at the 102nd Clifton Arts Club Exhibition have been accepted.

June 2010 - 3 Paintings entered at the Royal Bath and West Show have been accepted for exhibition.

Peter Bowen is currently running art classes – and this is what he has to say as a word of encouragement to all you budding artists out there  ……

I have always tried to encourage people I meet to take up drawing and painting and often hear the same comment “I can’t draw to save my life” often this is followed by “but some day I would like to learn how”.

I like to show people some basic concepts such as drawing with the side of a pencil instead of the point, and looking at the negative shapes of a subject instead of the subject itself.

When I returned to live in England I discovered the vast resources and help that the Society for All Artists (SAA) can provide to artists from materials and instructional video programmes to contact with other artists and professionals. This has enabled me to provide a valuable resource tool to the participants of the art classes that I host.

My art class philosophy is to get participants to look at the elements of the scene and break it down into smaller parts as this tends to be a less daunting task than tackling the complete picture in one go.

Peter Bowen Art Classes in Wells, Somerset

Discovering Form and Function

A drawing course aimed at showing participants how to look at the form and structure of buildings and architecture in the community and compose interesting compositions. The art class will look at drawing using pencil, pen and ink, and watercolour painting techniques.

Creating The Scene

A watercolour painting course aimed at showing participants how to draw with pen and inkto create a line drawing and combining elements to create the picture. The art class will look at drawing using pencil, pen and ink, and watercolour painting techniques.

Learn to draw and paint

Creative expression and watercolour painting techniques including the use of broad strokes and abstract variations to create paintings with life and movement.