Laura McGowan
Laura McGowan is an oil painter living and working on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. She has been interested in various artistic pursuits since her childhood in New Jersey. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Pratt Institute, and her first career was in interior and graphic design, in New York and London. In 1994, Laura moved to Onancock, VA and became a teacher, working with children from ages 4-13 and introducing them to many art styles, media, and a love of creating. Seeking to reconnect with making her own art, Laura began to study oil painting, taking lessons from Carole Boggemann Peirson. Laura left teaching in 2016 to become a full-time artist. She has participated in art shows and festivals in Virginia, Maryland, and Philadelphia, and she teaches oil painting classes. Laura paints landscapes, seascapes, and still lifes, capturing the beauty of nature and light. She combines studio work with plein air painting and has won awards in the Paint Onancock Plein Air event and the Eastern Shore Art League Member Show.
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Artist Statement
“I have always been drawn to images and environments that evoke emotion. I want people to see my paintings and pause, drawn in by a feeling of joy, melancholy, peacefulness, a treasured memory, or longing. Capturing a certain light often creates this mood, and for me, oils serve best to communicate it. I paint en plein air or alla prima when possible, but sometimes spend many hours on a painting to achieve what I have in mind. Seasons and the outside environment influence what I paint and when, just as they affect my mood. I am influenced by the American Tonalists, as well as the artists of the Barbizon School, for their use of light and landscape to convey the spirit of a place and time.”
The artwork pictured here is a representation of this artist's work. We aim to display only pieces that are currently in the gallery, though some may have been sold. If you are interested in purchasing a particular piece by this artist, please call the gallery at (302) 645-0551.