Summer Solitude

Andy Owen

27 July 2017 - 20 August 2018

OPENING RECEPTION Friday, 27 July 2018, 5 - 8 pm

Bio

Andy Owen is an Associate Professor of Art at Florida Gulf Coast University. He earned a B.F.A from the University of Florida and a M.F.A from the University of Arizona, both in printmaking. Andy currently teaches multiple levels of drawing and non-toxic methods of printmaking at FGCU. Throughout his career his work has received numerous awards and has been regularly exhibited in regional, national and international exhibitions.

Artist Statement

My recent works are inspired by the 10,000 Islands off the coast of Southwest Florida.  I often seek refuge in these islands. The peaceful isolation they offer feeds my spirit.  These images are all solarplate prints, a form of photogravure using plates etched with sunlight and printed by hand using both intaglio and relief methods. The use of photography adds a nostalgic nature to the images, capturing a reference point in time as an uncertain future unfolds. In the channel markers I see reference points, offering a sense of direction and helping to navigate challenging times. The battered shorelines left behind in hurricane Irma’s path are rich subjects, the stripped trees revealing a skeletal dance of line while also serving as a reminder of the fragility of the ecosystem when faced with the overwhelming power of change.