Mary Lou Owen
Artist Statement
Over my lifetime I have always had an interest in creating. I have tried many art forms; drawing, oil painting, acrylic painting, watercolor and ceramics. It was working with metal that finally spoke to me. After taking many art and design classes at local colleges I trained with a former professional welder and began creating metal sculptures. Other sources of art knowledge have taken the form of workshops, critiques and advice from other professional artists. For the past five years my work has been devoted exclusively to metals
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Artist Bio
Having grown up in San Diego and spending lots of time at the beach; the coast, ocean and marine life influences many of my pieces. Shells, driftwood, sea weed and the birds of the coastal environment are all subjects that form the basis for sculpture design.
Also, extensive travels have inspired many sculptures. A sketch book is always packed on any journey. A recent trip to Morocco which included visits to the souks (markets) gave me the idea of using varied metals in the pieces. This led to the incorporation of copper and brass in recent work.
These natural and realistic subjects are translated to stylized forms. The sculptures are abstract in design, letting the viewer interpret them as they wish. The contemporary designs are rendered in metal including steel and stainless steel. Frequently repurposed materials or color are added to the designs.
My artistic affiliations include the Carlsbad Oceanside Art League, Oceanside Museum of Art’s Artist Alliance, Art Group of North County and the North County Sculpture Salon..
The sculptures have been exhibited at the North Coastal Gallery (formerly COAL Gallery), Front Porch Gallery in Carlsbad, Ashton Gallery and Gallery 21 in San Diego, and the Escondido Arts Partnership in Escondido.
Artwork
