Jennifer Sowders

“Landscapes” Artist’s Series Statement:My love of landscape has developed from the discipline of plein air painting. For me, the immersion ‘in’ the landscape is transportive. Although my presented works are created in the studio, when I hear my viewers say “oh, I want to be there”, I know that I’ve tapped into their need for 'immersion' as well.​I am attracted to lush landscapes whether 'in the wild' or structured gardens. Within these lush scenes, multiple views of an area become a point of interest for me. Creating works in separate mediums also fuels this. Although I’m not doing diptychs or triptychs, I am understanding the grandeur within a microcosm, like Monet and his repetition of waterlilies. In just a few steps a scene can change so dramatically, so I am drawn to keep the area but with a different view. I currently paint watercolor on YUPO or acrylic paints. I am attracted to The vibrancy of color and luminous nature that the synthetic paper (YUPO) affords. It also enables me to explore textures, be bold, and achieve the ‘lush’ escape I’m going for. Concurrently, the use of acrylics with palette knives pushes me further into an impressionistic expression with the added excitement of thick texture. I am drawn not only to the beauty within a scene, but am careful to include beckoning elements of light/shadow, repetition and depth. Scenes chosen revolve around a dance of light and shadow and it's own sense of invitation to explore; pathways are common to include for this reason. Quiet, hidden, reflective/introspective....lush; these are things I look for. I am polarized by scenes that make me forget my troubles and I feel "enveloped", even if just for a moment. “Genre” Series Artist Statement:Watercolor on Yupo has been a challenge and recent focus for my everyday-life scenes involving portraiture. I had been painting landscapes as a way to escape my troubles; and throughout covid, I began to experiment with media, mediums and techniques that I'd never tried before; such as watercolor on Yupo, a synthetic paper. I also spent a lot of time with close family (during covid lock-downs) and so my love for genre themes continued to grow and become very personal. This personal nature involves my affections, feelings, and light-hearted approach as my real midwest reality wears upon my sleeve. I consider myself a 'deep thinker', but I'm always looking for the humor in life. I share deeper thoughts on individual pieces I have on Artreprenuer. Although Yupo is known for it's ease in subtractive painting, I paint in a layered add-on approach... very seldomly 'erasing' what I've laid down. This approach is more painstaking in having to only lay one pass down at a time followed by the time it takes to fully dry in-between passes.. but this method gives me a distinctive look and feel that is uncommon for most purveyors of Yupo. I also find myself using watercolor pencils and ink as well.

Growing up on a ‘dead end’ road in the county; NWOhio-native artist, Jennifer Sowders, grew up spending a lot of time studying nature and it’s indelible thread is noted within her body of work. Jennifer is a 1994 BFA graduate from the Columbus College of Art and Design. She is a Signature member and Trustee in the Ohio Watercolor Society, Signature Kentucky Watercolor Society, Associate of Allied Artists, The National Watercolor, American Impressionist, American Watercolor and National Oil & Acrylic Painters' Societies, member of the Ohio Art League and is in several N.W. Ohio arts groups. Amidst many awards in local and regional shows, she has been in the National Watercolor Society’s 2020 “50 Stars” Exhibition, which was quite an honor as two artworks were chosen from each state-level watercolor society to represent their state. She has also been in NWS and AWS member shows. Jennifer has 2 pieces in the Ohio Arts Council’s collection. She is also in the Artists Magazine “AcrylicWorks 9: The Best of Acrylic” (Honorable Mention), and a finalist in “AcrylicWorks 10”. Her most recent accomplishment has been in receiving 2nd place in the landscape division of the Artists Magazine’s 40th Annual. She is currently represented by the Toledo Museum of Art’s Collector Corner (Is actively welcoming further representation as well).Jennifer opens up her Fostoria, Ohio studio and gallery space: MONgallery and Art Studio, every MONday to visitors. She coined “MON” to represent “Middle Of Nowhere” because of her rural location where she lives with husband, Gary and has 3 sons.