Bio:
Karla Fowler is an acrylic artist specializing in subjects inspired by the Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest coastal environment. She moved to Olympia 46 years ago from Wisconsin where she gained her initial art education 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 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 varied structures and vessels that suggest historical and personal stories.
The paintings I developed for this show focus on textures and abstractions imposed by nature and day-to-day interactions within the context of the original surfaces. I particularly like to explore close-up details and textures that most people might ignore. Wind, rain, heat, cold, and time can be formidable forces wearing down and altering reality of manmade structures.
Wood and metal surfaces are particularly impacted along our waterways. These pieces show weather-beaten subjects displaying rust, peeling paint, damaged wood, and coatings of moss. Breakage, scrapes and scratches offer further testimony to the trials and tribulations of daily encounters. Yet the subjects endure.
I’m also intrigued by the way these altered surfaces acquire a new character and beauty of their own. This collection of paintings is an attempt to capture that sense. Some of these abstracted effects were achieved by using rags, sponges, and my fingers, as well as brushes, to apply paint.
I like to discover double meanings in these images, as suggested by the titles of these paintings. My selection of subjects was certainly affected by our past two plus years of living with COVID restrictions, with its mix of isolation, hope, and a desire to get back to normal. I hope viewers will find some personal insights of their own in one or more of these paintings.
The paintings for this show were inspired by photographs I took along waterfronts in Puget Sound and the Oregon Coast. After sifting through hundreds of photos, I selected several that might offer suitable subjects for these paintings. In each case, I zoomed in to find the kind of close-up textures and character I wanted. Then I tested multiple compositions before finally deciding which to paint.
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 selected 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 countless artists who have published articles and artworks in the large collection of books and journals that I have gathered over the years. They’ve helped provide insights into creativity, design, composition, paints, mediums, and painting techniques that have helped me to experiment with countless ideas. I learn more from every new painting.