Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariel Bowman.
Ariel, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in Flower Mound, where my parents are both artists. My mom has taught ceramics at Tarrant County College for 30 years now and also makes bronze sculptures for public commissions. My dad restores antique furniture for museums and collectors and makes his own art furniture. As a kid, I was brought to all the museums in Dallas/Fort Worth and given encouragement in my creative endeavors. I was most inspired by the woods and trails near my parent’s home. Growing up, I loved animals and wanted to be a zoologist. When I went to college for art, my parents were very supportive. I completed my undergraduate degree in ceramics at the Kansas City Art Institute in 2011 and then my Masters of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics from the University of Florida most recently in 2018.
During my studies, I found that science and animals were still my most important influence and this led me to researching prehistoric mammals. I found these to be the most interesting animals I had ever seen, and introducing people to these strange creatures by reconstructing them led me to becoming a paleoartist as well. For my graduate research I spent a lot of time working with the Florida Natural History Museum in both exhibits and preparing fossils for the collections. I also developed methods for creating porcelain table displays for my animal sculptures. I had my first exhibition at the museum in summer of 2018 which inspired me to continue working with natural history museums to bridge the gap between art and science.
Since returning to the Dallas area, I have been sharing a ceramics studio with my mom at my parent’s house in Flower Mound. We teach ceramics classes and workshops there, along with private lessons. Since the COVID pandemic began, I have been teaching live stream workshops online from my studio. I have volunteered at the Perot Museum, preparing fossils in the paleo lab and exhibited work at Ro2 Art Gallery, Mary Tomas Gallery, and Art Space 111. I am currently an adjunct professor in fine arts, teaching ceramics, drawing, and art appreciation at Tarrant County College, Northlake College, and Collin College. My studio is supported by teaching and my Patreon members online. I am currently working on a new series for upcoming exhibitions that continue to explore prehistoric animals in the context of human history.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I think any career in the arts is never going to be a smooth road. There were always highs and lows as far as opportunities and successes, and when things are hard, I have found myself questioning if I made the right career choice. However, I have had more support and help from friends and family than many other artists I know, and that goes a long way. To be able to share a studio with my mom and have access to kilns is a big help for me as a ceramic artist. I have always tried to diversify myself as much as possible. I would say the hardest struggle lately has been making ends meet with COVID cancelling most of my exhibitions, art shows, and opportunities for this year. It has also been very hard being an adjunct professor and dividing myself between three schools across the area to make enough money teaching. I have many different sources of income so that I am never relying on one alone. I think this has helped me a lot in the business side of my art-making. I also never stop working, which is a bit of a struggle in itself, but the extra work is always worth it so that I can keep making art.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
Ariel Bowman Ceramics is my business. I participate in local art fairs, show my work in galleries, make custom commission work, and paleoart for natural history museums. I also teach workshops and classes both in the Dallas area at my studio and around the country at art centers and universities. I specialize in making ceramic animal sculptures, and I am best known for making prehistoric animals that reconnect people with their sense of wonder in natural history. There are many other paleoartists who reconstruct prehistoric animals to educate and entertain, but I place these animals in the context of human history, combining them with unexpected settings and fantasy timelines to introduce them to people in a new way.
What were you like growing up?
As a kid I loved being out in nature and I had a ton of pets. I liked riding my horse on the trails near my house and reading. I was also very interested in science and loved learning about animals, anatomy and biology. Personality wise I have always been “the funny one”, and a bit of a goofball. I especially enjoy animal puns!
Contact Info:
- Address: 6524 Orchard Dr. Flower Mound, TX 75022
- Website: www.arielbowman.com
- Phone: 8172666976
- Email: arielbowmanceramics@gmail.com
- Instagram: @ariel.bowman
- Other: www.patreon.com/arielbowman
Image Credit:
Kristen Grace, Joshua Hobson, Annemarie Furlong, Ariel Bowman
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