PaintingsDIRECT:
You've said that your memories inspire much of your artwork. What are your memories of deciding that painting was your life's creative passion?
Symon Cowles:
Like most aspects of our lives we tend to evolve into choices. I did not have an epiphany in my painting career. My passion for painting developed over a long period of time. As a child I was exposed more to literature rather than art but I always had a secret urge to create images... first through language and later through drawing. Years of trial and error in pencil and ink finally gave me the courage to attempt a painting. By that time I was in college surrounded by creative stimuli. The joy of creating images by melding reality and imagination provided the impetus to study, practice and learn.
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Racing Home (1996)
Symon Cowles
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Full Moon (1985)
Symon Cowles
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PaintingsDIRECT:
While now retired, you had a notable business career. What were the challenges in finding the time and the muse for your artwork while so engaged? In retrospect, would you have changed your priorities in any way?
Symon Cowles:
Throughout my business career of almost 40 years I never stopped painting, even when my "studio" was a closet in the basement and the "galleries" that showed my work were, in reality, frame shops. I was fortunate in my business career to be involved in that arcane combination of words and images that we call advertising. My "muse" was great art through the centuries. My second home was the museums of every city in which I ever lived or worked. While my desire to create art was always with me my primary priority was the well being of my family. My business life provided the means to indulge my second life in my studio and care for others. Following my first one-man show in 1972, a critic, who knew of my business career, wrote, "Now we all know what Symon does in real life." I always felt that he had discovered my secret.
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PaintingsDIRECT: We feature a large number of your paintings of the ocean on the PaintingsDIRECT website. What are the challenges in painting such a dynamic subject?
Symon Cowles:
The ocean? It never stops moving! And, it never ceases to change. You cannot paint the ocean. You can only attempt to interpret it.
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Red Sky at Night (1998)
Symon Cowles
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Northeast Wind (1998)
Symon Cowles
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PaintingsDIRECT:
Has your approach to your art or your choice of subject changed over time? What can we look forward to seeing from you next?
Symon Cowles:
My approach to art has not changed as much as it has matured. When I was a young man trying to find my way into fine art I was constantly exposed to abstract expressionism. During my time at The Art Student’s League in New York I realized that I was bored with it and I discovered the magnificence of the Flemish masters. I was later drawn to the developing school of Contemporary Realism. I loved it! The challenge of combining technique and emotion to create an image that others could react to intellectually and viscerally suited me. |
PaintingsDIRECT:
Of famous artists, living or deceased, who have most inspired you or influenced your work, and in what ways?
Symon Cowles:
Start with Vermeer, the Dutch still life masters, and move ahead to the 20th century and David Leffel. More recently to Alan Magee who confirmed my interest in contemporary realism. While landscape and seascape were early challenges I have moved strongly in recent time to still life as subject matter. Long ago I developed an objective in my work: To offer the onlooker an uncommon view of the commonplace. I am still working on meeting that objective.
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Dawn (1981)
Symon Cowles
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First Snow (1985)
Symon Cowles
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PaintingsDIRECT:
What do you most hope the viewer will experience when viewing your art?
Symon Cowles:
The joy of seeing and feeling a new appreciation of life around us, even the most familiar scenes and objects.
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View more artworks by Symon Cowles ...
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