Currently a printmaking professor at Dixie State University, Abraham McCowan grew up with a special love for nature and the desert scenery of the West. He was especially inspired by the landscapes of the American West and northern Mexico. His artwork however, instead of replicating the plants and animals native to these areas, takes things in another direction. The patterned, ambiguous, and twisting forms found in each of McCowen’s prints are an attempt at poetic abstraction. They take the natural forms and mold them into a shape that encapsulates what the spirit of the subject is in a more untamed, untethered state outside of our visible reality. The scale of the artist’s woodcuts are intimidating, usually measuring in the region of eight feet in height. He says, “…while the scale of the prints is imposing, like the desert itself, the images attempt to capture the subtle, unexpected elements to draw the viewer in. Exploration and experimentation with various mark-making techniques are at the core of this work. Large and minute, simple and complex – these core desert elements are themes that fuel my creativity.” Take in the incredible details of McCowen’s artwork below!
Visit McCowan’s website here!
