Florida Artists Group

Artist Statement:

My work is about following your heart and the heart’s yearning to know the power of the divine in each of our lives. In order to uncover this mystery, I work in layers and often have to make order out of chaos rather than follow a set plan. I take risks on paper, canvas or board to bring a fresh perspective to the viewer. My work reflects my internal world. Many contain hidden symbols and mystical faces or figures. All begin with yellow, the color of warmth and joy. I am inspired by Matisse who said “There is no greatness in making eyes, a nose or mouth. Accuracy is not truth.” I want the viewer to feel the connection between my small step (my art) toward the divine and your heart. I use mixed media, collage, found objects and handmade items to convey the message of looking within to find peace and following your heart to find joy in our pressured world.

Bio:

Like many artists, Lolly Owens’ love of art began at an early age but in fear. “Now that I am older I realize neither of my parents ever said my art was bad. They feared the artist life for me and did everything in their power to dissuade me from creating art, even throwing my art supplies out the door !”
Owens, born in Pittsburgh, PA, grew up in a small steel making town on the outskirts of the big city. It was populated with mostly Catholic immigrant families. Hard work, family gatherings and church are her early memories. She was always different: being an only child was odd with the norm of families of six or more surrounding her. In addition, she was never interested in nursing or becoming an elementary school teacher, two of the most honored careers voiced to girls of her time.
Upon high school graduation, her parents said they would support a college education in any major of her choice except art. As the first in her family to attend college, she set about studying art covertly. She chose Chatham College, a liberal arts college in Pittsburgh. When asked why there were so many courses labeled Art in her transcript, she said that classes began with the letter “A “ and then worked their way to the end of the alphabet until graduation.
Owens married the month after graduation from Chatham College and had two daughters. She designed and sewed the girls’ clothes, first to save money and then as an artistic outlet. She learned batik at the Pittsburgh Art Center and soon was applying hot wax to cloth, allowing it to dry and then dying the cloth repeatedly until she created the happy images she wanted. Clothes, tablecloths , curtains , aprons, almost anything in a natural fiber was hit with wax and made into a vibrant world of color to wear, hang or use.
Career moves allowed Owens to study art with professional artists in New Jersey and Tennessee before the marriage ended and she had to find a full time paying job. She worked at several healthcare community relations offices before starting her own public relations/special events company which she managed for 10 years.
A second marriage to a supportive man and then an unlikely heart attack in April, 2010 made her realize it was time to follow her artistic endeavors. Art became her priority and she took workshops with Bob Burridge, Liza Cyr, Betsy Dillard Stroud, Joanna Coke and others who encourage her to follow her heart.
“My intention is to create art that asks you to listen to your spirit (heart) and do what feels true. For many years, I once listened to others rather than follow my spirit, Now my style, colorful, textural abstractions, represent the joy that is felt when you follow your heart.”
Owens approach is to paint or do an art related action daily. “Usually I paint at least two hours daily and then go to an exhibit or take an online course or read an art book or volunteer with an arts organization. I raise money for incentive awards to high school students who want to continue to study art. The first quarter of the year, I also teach a weekly abstract art class at the Longboat Key Center for the Arts, a division of the Ringling College of Art + Design in Sarasota, FL. I finish four or more paintings a month, sometimes more if there is a request for my 6”x6”x7/8” panels. I prefer working on 40”x40” panels.”
Owens’ art work has been included in group shows on both the East and West coasts of the US and in international exhibits. Her tribute to artist Victoria Hruska was part of a 2010 traveling exhibit throughout the Inland Northwest honoring female artists and sponsored by the Palouse Women Artists. Her art work “Cat Nap” was featured in the Moscow ID 2010 Art walk brochure, a three month event celebrating the arts.
She is a member of the Sarasota Chapter of the National League of American Pen Women, Women Contemporary Artists, and the International Society of Experimental Artists. She is the former president of the Palouse Watercolor Socius and a founding artist of the Pullman Gallery & Studios in Pullman, WA. From 2001-2008, she was a member/officer of The Artist Guild of Anna Maria Island, FL.
From 2009-2011 her work was juried into the Washington State University Reinterpreting Reality exhibit in the Compton Union Art Gallery.
On the East coast her most recent work, Warrior Within, was accepted by the Selby Gallery, Ringling College of Art & Design, for their May, 2013 exhibit.