Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Bowman.
Hi Zach, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a young kid I was always surrounded with art and artists. My mother was an art professor for BYU and had private students that would come weekly to our home. I remember repeatedly interrupting their classes (because I wanted my mom back for the evening) by making obnoxious sounds and turning the lights on and off again in the studio. This behavior persisted until I was about 7 years old, and saw some of the most impressive portraits being created by my mom’s students. It is fascinating how something so common and regularly seen could be so easily dismissed until I had the maturity to comprehend it.
After years of training under my mom, and later teaching with her, I decided that art would not be some part time hobby, but rather my full-time career.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This decision to become an artist was of course supported by my parents (as my mom built her business as an art teacher) but when it came to social gatherings or trying to justify my decisions, many people treated me like a foolish dreamer.
It can be hard at times to not feel the support of peers when expressing one’s dreams; however I have found that stubbornness inside of me has always wanted to prove people wrong. To me, fighting for my creative expression and sharing it with others has been the most profound work in my life. So many people live life without experiencing the meditative healing that occurs through viewing and making artwork. I, knowing the positive impact that it can have on others (based on my experience as a teenager assisting my mom’s classes) have come to terms that I would be living a half-life not sharing what I can with others.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work as an artist taps into the universal human experience. Each painting aims to portray the divine nature of humanity, and uses light as a means to add drama and create a focal point. While I, myself, am a religious person, I seek to convey many forms of spirituality and hope to help bridge gaps by emphasizing common ground and universal experiences. My work has evolved over time to show the light and spiritual energy of people, and many of my paintings focus on emotional and physical healing found through living life with hope and faith. While I love to convey figures, such as the Savior, Jesus Christ, I also want to show that we all have potential to become “angels” in other people’s lives through love and service.
What does success mean to you?
While the world would love to define success as a bounty of wealth or some other accruement of “valuable things,” I have found the greatest success comes from making meaningful connections and leaving positive impacts in other people’s lives.
To me, life is a temporary stage to either invest our time in collecting things we can’t take with us, or make memories that will be etched into our souls. I would rather be known for what I gave, than what I got.
Pricing:
- $90 per month for four, 1.5hr sessions of art classes.
- 16x20in single portrait oil painting, $650
- 18x24in single portrait oil painting, $750
- 24x36in single portait oil painting. $1,200
- 48x60in oil painting, $6,000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zachbowmanart.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/zachbowmanlife
