Carla Bowden’s interest in painting began in her childhood, but she couldn’t find the time to develop her creative skills until her retirement years. Coming Up for Air, as well as most of her work, is a result of her classroom studies. Her introduction to painting was through her aunt, an artist from whom she inherited her first set of oil paints. Her grandmother was also a major influence, taking her to art museums, which increased Bowden’s interest in art.

Family always played an important role in her life and it continues to do so. She remarks, "Now my children see in me more than just a mother, and my grandchildren are the ones who are most proud of me." She enjoys sharing her experiences with her grandchildren, to whom she dedicates her paintings.

Nature is Bowden’s main source of inspiration. She favors animals and plants as her subject matter. She looks for images she finds relaxing to paint. Her pictures offer her a way to see life from another perspective, one filled with enjoyment, freedom, and tranquility.


[artist biography by Ximena Cisneros; artist photograph by Tracy Cornett]
Carla Bowden
Coming Up for Air, 1996, oil on canvas