Nashville native Richard Bowers began drawing early but didn’t pursue art professionally until after college, when he realized it could be a viable career. After selling his first piece, he committed fully to his work and has been a full-time artist ever since. Known for his graphite, charcoal, and ink drawings, Bowers focuses on texture, form, and the small details that give each subject its character. Learn more at his website. (richardbowersart.com)
Nashville Lifestyles: How did you first get into drawing and what made you decide to pursue it seriously
Richard Bowers: My passion for drawing began early in life but it wasn’t until after college that I realized, through a vocational program, that my artistic gifts were purposeful and could actually be part of a career. In 2014, I sold my first drawing, then had my first mini show and decided to dive in headfirst. I have been full-time ever since.
NL: What do you enjoy most about being an artist here in Nashville?
RB: I am a Nashville native and have seen the city grow and change a ton over the past decade, the art scene with it. I love how the mix of old Nashville and new city plays out in the art scene. It creates amazingly diverse art and a wide variety of art lovers.
NL: What are some ways your work and approach have evolved?
RB: My style, though technically the same, has started to lean away from hyper-realism/photorealism and now shows more pencil strokes and looser lines.
NL: You work in graphite, charcoal, and ink. What draws you to those materials?
RB: I love working with pencil for many reasons, but primarily because it feels the most natural to me. It allows me to capture details, show contrast, and draw attention to shape and lines in a unique way.
NL: You’ve said you love focusing on tiny details. What kinds of details catch your eye the most?
RB: I am captivated by subtle beauty in what many overlook — textures, expressions, shapes, and any small details that make the subject unique, often its flaws.
NL: What inspired you to begin your trees series?
RB: I have always been drawn to trees. Even as a kid, I remember looking at a huge oak tree and thinking how amazing it was for it to have grown from a tiny acorn. I think my allure is still rather elementary — trees are beautiful and captivating — especially in their broken places.
NL: How does your faith influence the subjects you choose or the way you approach your work?
RB: My faith is essential to who I am. A huge part of what I love about being an artist is getting to create art that displays the unappreciated beauty of this world, and ultimately point to the one who created it. CS Lewis has a quote that better captures our longing: “We do not want merely to see beauty, though, God knows, even that is bounty enough. We want something else which can hardly be put into words — to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it.”
NL: For someone wanting to buy a piece, where’s the best place for them to start?
RB: My website usually has a few available pieces of new work and prints available. Those who are wanting to commission a piece, whether specific or vague in their requests, can email me to get on the list.
NL: Has anyone ever shared an interpretation of one of your drawings that stuck with you?
RB: It is always a blessing to see any collector moved to tears. Those are generally the reactions that stick with me much more than the words.