| Who is Louise? Artist statement And Why did she Leap? . . . the story of an artist's beginning. . . |
ARTIST STATEMENT Barbara Louise Bowling, Louise’s Leap Studios Sewing cards. Remember them? In my first memory, I am on a boat with my dad, who is fishing. I am three years old and threading bright yarn through holes in equally bright cardboard with a blunt needle. A couple of years later, I find old curtains in the basement, and play with them for hours, eventually figuring out how to sew a seam (inside out!), and make gathers (big stitches, drawn tight). I have been thus driven for all of my remembered life. To Make Things. My recent work, The Primal series, examines our connection to that which is fundamental to life on earth. Plants are the first step in the chain of sustenance . . . transforming the energy of the sun to chemical energy which is foundation of all life; human life being a small but potent piece of that puzzle. Plants feed our needy existence, providing not only nutrition, but aesthetically rich experiences for all of our senses: sight, taste, touch, smell and sound. While we are literally and viscerally connected to this messy cacophony of life, our civilized lives separate us from it; obfuscating our interconnectedness in this complex, brutal beautiful whole. Other recent work, including ‘Beholden’, is a contemplation of my life as a mother. Part of a triad, this piece is a part of the Wordplay series. The hand-shaped vessel holds (they “be holdin’”) fine silver beads with the birthstones of my children and other creatures I have raised and lived with. Ultimately, these beings to whom I have given so much of myself have proven that turnabout is fair play. . . I find myself truly beholden to them for having demanded so much of me. My giving to them proves a far greater gift to myself than I ever could have imagined. My most recent work, Fully Fledged, is a reflection on contemporary post- menopausal existence. For many, the passing through middle life is as profound, and physically and emotionally upsetting, as adolescence once was. As middle- aged women in a youth focused culture, we find ourselves bearing scars, sequestered wounds and annoying lapses in body and mind. However these more negative signs of aging are equaled in each of us by a growing wisdom, an unprecedented sense of self-confidence and an all-things-are-possible feeling that is hard to describe. We are not fledglings. . . .we are Fully Fledged . And about time, I say. |
| Biography Barbara Louise Bowling was born in suburban Washington DC in 1954. Her father, John W. Bowling, was a mechanical engineer, photographer and sportsman. Her mother was a bridge-playing country club aficionado, as well as a self-described “homemaker”. This period of time was the midpoint of the baby boom after the Second World War, rife with all of the prejudice, opportunity, and tumult of that era. Barbara was born with an innate desire to Make Things, as well as a fascination with process. Her youth was dominated by the piano, competitive swimming and school. She proved competent, though not extraordinary at any of these pursuits. An early interest in textiles led her to learn to sew, knit, spin wool fiber, and weave. By the end of high school, she had also taken every art and woodworking class that was available. While starting her college years as an Art major, the reality of putting herself through school, (subsequently supporting herself and her child) inspired her to change her focus to Horticulture, eventually receiving her BS in Horticulture (1979, University of Maryland), MS (1981, Penn State University) and PhD (1984, Ohio State University). She became a professor of Horticulture, specializing in berry crop physiology, first at Rutgers University (1984- 1986), and then at Penn State University (1987- 2000), working for 15 years teaching, researching and working in extension. These years of working in science resulted in her developing a very linear and logical thought process, as well as a profound love and respect for plant life, where her favorite research areas included examining the role of symbiotic fungi with blueberry plants and their relatives. Four events that would prove very significant her life occurred during her college and early career years. Three of those involved family. Beth Marie, her first daughter, was born in 1977; she met John F. Gardner in 1982 at Ohio State University (they were married in 1985), and they bore a second daughter, Sarah Ann, in 1986. The last very significant event occurred during her early undergraduate years, when she took two enameling and metalsmithing classes from Professor Komelia Okim, at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland. These classes had a profound and a lasting effect on her thought processes regarding Making Things, though she would not venture into these media again for decades. After 15 years of working as a Horticulture professor, Barbara's husband, John Gardner, was offered a position at Boise State University (BSU) in Idaho. As life-long East Coast dwellers, this opportunity proved irresistible. Barbara, John, Sarah, along with their two dogs and a hamster left central Pennsylvania in the summer of 2000 to settle in Boise, where John was hired as a senior professor in BSU's new College of Engineering. After a great deal of introspection and tooth-nashing, Barbara decided to pursue her dream of becoming an artist, first enrolling as a student at BSU and learning to draw, taking a metalsmithing course to refresh her metal skills, and attending workshops offered by the Enamelist Society and various metalsmithing schools to hone her technical skills. It should be noted at this point that the skills required for serious work in metals and enameling are hard won. Many years of practice are required before one can saw, solder and design competently. The enameling process presents a completely different set of challenges, with levels of unpredictability varying with the particular process. Barbara started her work in cloisonné, a traditional form of enameling. This work evolved into a more contemporary style, and eventually she incorporated etching into several of her lines. The Primal line marked a new era for her development, both as a production artist and as a means of personal expression. She continues to develop both as a maker of affordable jewelry and as an artist, weaving words and concepts into her small “canvases”. Barbara’s 15 years as a professor of horticulture are reflected in the plant forms and the natural textures and flowing lines of her designs. Her intellectual and emotion inspiration is first and foremost plant life. “Plants fill the world with function and beauty simultaneously. No life could BE without their primary existence, and yet they live their lives of incomprehensible utility, exquisite beauty and languid grace without expectation of appreciation or recognition.” Good Growing. Barbara Louise Bowling |
| She drank from a bottle called "drink me" And up she grew so tall She ate from a place called "eat me" And down she grew so small And so she grew while other folks Never tried nothin' at all. Shel Silverstein |
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Redefining Precious
