Monterey Peninsula Art Foundation

Lesley Anne Spowart

http://www.laspowart.com/
​All work is available through Monterey Peninsula Art Foundation Gallery

Canine Hieroglyphics - 48" x48", oil, m/m, on canvas

I am from Cape Cod, Massachusetts where I spent my childhood in the same house on my grandparent’s gardens and flower filled property within walking distance to the beach.  I relocated after college to Davis, CA where I met and married the love of my life.  Through the course of nearly 39 year of marriage, we moved 13 times to Cleveland, Connecticut, Southern California and finally the Monterey Bay Peninsula for the past 30 years.

My interest in art was sparked at the University Art Gallery at University of Massachusetts, Amherst where I earned my work study funding.  I also wrote art reviews and studied Art History.  Studio art came later after the move to the Monterey Bay Peninsula. 
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I took classes at the local junior college (MPC) enrolling first in black and white photography and then printmaking which really sparked my interest. I felt like I had a tiger by the tail…I was off and running!  I took what was available at the junior college, and then moved on to local art classes and ultimately workshops.  
I developed my career one exhibition, one juried show at a time.  After raising a family I’ve returned to pick up where I left off in a very different social media world.  

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Dog and Pony Show-------acrylic, m/m on canvas-----71" x66"

My primary subject matter is abstracted, intuitive imagery.  Sometimes an animal or image appears but that’s not intentional. I try to relinquish control and allow the substrate to answer me back in a dialogue of what it wants to be.  Generally, I try not to have any preconceived ideas about what it will be, save for the techniques I am excited to utilize.  Free flowing, sentient mark making, gestures, line and materials are employed.  I use an arsenal of techniques and processes, such as sanding, transferring, collaging, scraping, scratching…all action verbs as my work is active and energetic.  Nothing is off limits; I’m open to all possible outcomes. 

My style is abstract, expressionistic, and intuitive.  Color is integral as well as movement and physicality.  My work is energetic, sometimes busy but always full.

I’m a member of the Monterey Peninsula Art Foundation (MPAF) as well as past volunteer for Hospice.  We rescue dogs on a regular basis. 
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I was voted Best Local Artist for Monterey County in 2010 and received 1st and 2nd place awards at the Monterey County Fair in 2017.  These pieces were part of my initial exploration into surface texture and integration of different media into my work.

​​Mostly I know that I love the feel of paper and enjoy the problem-solving process as it arises throughout the course of a piece. Perhaps I am easily bored or am playing catch-up of sorts, but I embrace the variety and the education  which accompanies each new process. I find I am just now slowly limiting my experimentations in favor of working almost exclusively in oil paint. I enjoy working on various substrates,  but feel most drawn to the resistance that painting on board provides.  

Blue Squared - 50" x66"--------acrylic, collage, m/m, cold wax on canvas

Expression of energy motivates me to communicate those expressions.  It’s an opportunity to share myself without words…turns out I’m a social introvert. This is just my way of translating my language to the viewer.
I have been told by gallerists that my work is transformational and that I am one of the most versatile Monterey County artists. My work is coveted and my style is said to be engaging, intriguing, and comes from an inner intuitive process.  Collectors enjoy my use of color and the expression of myself energetically.  My work is about being alive.  
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 Danny Kaye said it best, ”Life is like a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint on it you can.”  

Pig, Dog, Deer (aboriginal)-------acrylic, m/m on cradled panel board------36" x36"

Dog and Kitty go for a Ride------acrylic, m/m on cradled panel board--------36" x36"