Nicole Cowen

Nicole Cowen is a painter who describes that her "intention is to make paintings that acknowledge the imbalance between personal and public lives as a result of overactive scheduling and media bombardment." She articulates  the connections between contemporary culture and history in her work, exploring "events that have significant social impact on contemporary society combining these actions with images of seemingly unimportant, banal, recreational, or even habitual, activities from daily life."

"Layering images from history, modern culture, current news, and art history, I create a cultural critique. Altering the context of the original subject offers new suggestions for interpretation within a contemporary setting. I find humor in these paintings. The lines between reality, imagination, subconscious, nostalgia, and the psyche are intentionally blurred to suggest that a figure is retreating into his/her own head as an escape from the exterior world which seems changing with every glance. Solid color dissolves, deteriorates, and crumbles while in other moments, color blurs or remains bold. In one passage, the disintegration of a solid world of paint is reduced to an ethereal atmosphere where events become frozen in the midst of activity.  Disjointed spaces mimic the disconnection among the simultaneous realities around the globe." (Nicole Cowen) Her work is influenced by a number of contemorary artists who explore similar spheres, such as Neo Rauch, Ian Francis, and Martin Mull.

Nicole Cowen was born in Niagara Falls, and grew up in North Tonowanda. Her great grandparents settled in Niagara Falls after emigratign from Europe. Cowen attended Alfred University and recieved a BFA in painting. She then attended Michigan State University to pursue her MFA. She is currently a graphic designer outside of in Nanuet, NY.