Sheila Cowen
Media: Collage, Drawing, Mixed media, Painting
Exhibition and News
Selected exhibitions
Leamington Open Exhibition, West Midlands Artists, Royal Leamington Spa, 2026
CASE, Coventry Art Societies Exhibition, Herbert Art Gallery and Museum 2026
Rugby Art Gallery and Museum Open 2024 and 2025
Coventry and Warwickshire Society of Artists at Nuneaton Art Gallery and Museum 2023
Coventry Art Gallery and Museum Open 2018, 2020
Biography
I was born and brought up in Manchester moving to the Midlands to study Art and Design. During my four years in Birmingham I developed a particular interest in drawing and printmaking with particular attention to etching.
Whilst enjoying a career in education I continued to develop my practice through participation in regular classes, workshops and visiting galleries. Throughout this period I explored working with different media including textiles and sculpture.
I am keen to explore different subject matter in my painting and drawing, and recognise the discipline and benefit of regular attendance at life class to further develop my observational skills. I particularly enjoy and feel I benefit from painting regularly with a group of artists.
Whilst much of my current work is broadly figurative I am interested in how attention to specific subject matter is opening me up to enjoying the more abstract elements of my work.
I enjoy an experimental approach and I am interested in exploring a balance between semi abstracted and figurative elements. Currently I am enjoying developing my practice through painting, drawing and mixed media work including collage. I have found working in sketch books a helpful approach in exploring possibilities in my work.
Elements which interest me include composition, line, mark making, tone, colour and texture.
Subject matter which interests me includes the natural environment and the human figure.
I enjoy sketching, drawing and painting in the environment. I feel this immediate response to a place has an energy which informs work continued in the studio.