February 5 - April 18, 2004


Second Saturday Artwalk Reception, April 10, 2004, 5 - 8pm

Oakland native Milton Bowens just wants to paint. The artist made this abundantly clear when he started his artist residency with the St. HOPE's 40 Acres Art Gallery this past April 2003. Since then, however, Milton has done more than just paint: he has been a dedicated art instructor for students at St. HOPE Academy, he has provided thought-provoking lectures about art and urban revitalization at St. HOPE's Guild Theater at least once a month, and he has been an articulate and outspoken advocate of educational reform at many a Sacramento school board meeting. In short, he is a renaissance man, bearing witness to what he has coined as the "Civil Arts Movement" occurring in Oak Park, Sacramento.

Bowens' absorption of the community resulted in his creating a tremendous body of work that reflects the lifeblood of Oak Park but also speaks to universal themes of despair and hope. Bowens created nearly sixty paintings, which will soon be on display in the exhibition, "Out of the Corner of My Eye" at the 40 Acres Art Gallery. His paintings are a distillation of stylistic influences ranging from the collages of Robert Rauschenberg and urban landscapes of Romare Bearden to the text-driven paintings of Glenn Ligon, and are tableaux that force the viewer to understand the complexities inherent in any modern-day community.

The 40 Acres Art Gallery is pleased to present a special exhibition showcasing over 40 paintings created during the residency. Also on display will be artwork created by students participating in Bowens' twice-weekly workshops.

A 48-page color exhibition catalogue highlighting artwork by Bowens and his students will be available for purchase.

For more information about Milton Bowens, access his website at www.milton510.com.

 

 

(Top Painting)
Milton Bowens, Uncle Sam Tell Me A Story, 2003, mixed media on paper.
Courtesy of the Artist.

(Bottom Painting)
Varie Walker, age 10, Pick An Animal, 2003, acrylic on paper.
Courtesy of the Artist.