Bio:
Karla Fowler is an acrylic artist specializing in subjects inspired by the Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest coastal environment. She moved to Olympia 45 years ago from Wisconsin where she gained her initial art training and earned degrees in radio-TV-film and library science at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The saltwater environment of Puget Sound became an exciting new and immediate inspiration that has grown deeper through the years.
Water has always been the unifying factor for Karla’s work, in both her art and her professional career roles. She worked for 12 years with her husband Chuck, a noted regional maritime historian and author, as a communications consultant and creative director for maritime heritage and waterfront revitalization projects throughout western Washington. That was followed by 20 years managing public communications programs about water quality and wastewater treatment. Those varied roles provided opportunities to build a massive collection of photographic images that continue to influence her art since she retired in 2016.
Karla’s paintings and collages have been accepted in many juried shows over the years, and have won several awards. Her works hang in homes and offices throughout Washington and other parts of the country. Selected paintings have also been published in six maritime heritage books, plus several regional maritime journal articles and calendars.
Karla is a member of the American Society of Marine Artists. She also serves as a board member of the Olympia Art League, for which she coordinates its acrylic support group.
Artist Statement:
I am continuously inspired by water, especially the saltwater environment of Puget Sound and the Northwest Coast. Our waterfronts provide an endless supply of imaginative subjects, from the movement of water itself, to people interacting with it, to the interconnectedness of waterways and the colorful vessels that suggest fascinating historical and personal stories. I particularly like to explore close-up details and textures that most people might ignore. Showing the effects of time and weather on vessels and beach debris -- weathered wood, peeling paint, rusted surfaces, bleached shells – holds a particular fascination. I also like to find double meanings in the details. Communicating character from those influences on inanimate objects – such as an anchor on the side of a ship that appears to be “soaring” -- is a fascinating challenge. I paint in acrylics, and usually have three or four paintings in progress at a time. I also enjoy creating mixed media collages and add 3D found objects to many of my paintings. I paint primarily on gallery-wrapped canvases, which allows the opportunity to play with the edges, extending the images around the sides, sometimes defying perspective or adding extra visual surprises. I have been inspired by regional marine artists Marshall Johnson and Steve Mayo, as well as countless artists who have published articles and artworks in the large collection of books and journals that I have collected over the years. My home art studio is also a constant inspiration, filled with décor from our travels to waterfront communities throughout the Northwest and New England.