"Art History Happening II: Angels at Dawn" (Detail) Oil on Canvas by Judith Fowler

Bellissimo presents monotype prints and paintings by Judith Fowler, on display April 28 through June 17 in Spiva’s Regional Gallery.

Fowler expresses her creative energies through drawing, printmaking, and mixed-media painting with inspiration provided by “travel to interesting places.”

Considering the Old World flavor and Renaissance themes of the images selected for this exhibit, her statement most certainly holds true.

Judith has made two trips to Italy – the first in 1990 and the second one to Florence in 2000. The artworks displayed in Bellissimo are a direct result of her summer printmaking workshop in Florence, where Judith made 65 original monotypes. “Florence is so inspiring,” she recalled, “the rich colors, the gold gilting...and, of course, there are angels everywhere.”

As an Associate Professor of Art at Missouri State University in Springfield, Judith is well aware of the art history references in her work, too. Viewers can spot classical Roman heads, da Vinci angels, and other familiar looking faces, poses, and forms.

As her mural sized paintings indicate, Judith likes working large. This scale allows her compositions to become complex, something she does intentionally. She likes to “intrigue the viewers and possibly boggle the mind.” Nevertheless, the results are bellissimo!

The opening reception for the artist, Spiva members, and guests is Friday, April 27, from 5:30–7:30 p.m.

George A. Spiva Center for the Arts
222 W. 3rd Street
Joplin, Mo 64801
Tel: 417-623-0183
Fax: 417-623-3805
www.spivaarts.org

It’s spring at Spiva—where imagination lives!