Local wildlife, sporting artist shows skill with new Twin Lakes mural - Record-Courier

A local artist has left his mark on the Twin Lakes community.

Geoff Mowery, 76, is a lifelong painter. His subjects are often reflections of wildlife and sporting imagery. His work has notably been exhibited in the Cleveland Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Art as well as the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art. Three paintings were also once selected by the Smithsonian Institution for display at the U.S Embassy in Norway.

Mowery's work has been seen on plates, prints and at art shows. His accolades and achievements are many. Though his usual medium is egg tempera or oil on gessoed board, he recently completed work on a type of canvas that was completely new to him — concrete blocks.

While showing off a mural commissioned by Twin Lakes community leaders, Mowery reflected on his life and art.

The year was 1964. Mowery, who had spent most of his young life in Orange Village, Ohio, rode his motorcycle all the way out to California to attend the Chouinard Art Institute. In the years since, it has taken on a new name and a new life as the California Institute of the Arts.

About two and a half years into his time at the school, he said, three of his instructors took him out to lunch. He had initially enrolled at the school to pursue a career in commercial art. Keen on his inclination for fine art, however, Mowery's professors encouraged him to leave school and chase his real passion.

"They said 'we want you to leave, go home and get a third shift job. You'll know when you're gonna have your first show.' And I did that." Mowery recalled.

Mowery's most recent work is a mural that was created for the residents of Twin Lakes, a small community located between Kent and Streetsboro. Painted on the wall of a private beach pavilion, the wildlife, weather and landscape depicted are familiar to residents along the West Lake. Considering Mowery has been a member of that community for over a decade and spends much of his time admiring its wildlife, it is easy to tell how his inspiration for the mural came about.

Ann Winnen, a representative of the Twin Lakes Association, played a major role in coordinating the creation of the piece. She wanted to recruit a local artist to help spruce up the community's pavilion, she said. She considered Mowery immediately because his home (and art) could be seen from the pavilion.

The commission was a donation, Winnen said, not something Twin Lakes homeowners were charged for.

Just talking to Mowery about his new mural shows how much thought and time go into planning his compositions. In addition to depicting wildlife that is authentic to the area, such as great blue heron and osprey, Mowery also made sure the perceived distance between where the lake meets the land was accurate in the mural. That way, when Twin Lakes residents sit at the pavilion's picnic benches, the painting perfectly aligns. There is no perceived break between the painting and the edge of the lake.

Unexpected elements solely recognizable to Twin Lakes residents are on the mural, too. A flipflop that was lost made its way on to the painting. Watchful eyes can spot it in the portion painted to look like the bottom of the lake (cleverly located under some sinks).

Mowery lived much of his adult life in Bainbridge. After their children were grown, he and his wife moved to Twin Lakes. They lived in the home they built and designed together for three years before she passed away from cancer. He made her a promise that he would keep busy. It's a promise he continues to make good on.

Not only is Mowery handy with a paint brush, he is a great guitar player. He also created a fly fishing tool called the Grizzly Paw, an accessory for sportsmen who want to take hands-free videos of their catches.

Mowery has a few other projects in the work even now. He also continues his favorite pastime of collecting old fishing lures.

The Twin Lakes mural is located on property not open to the public. To view Geoff Mowery's other paintings, visit his website, www.theshackstudio.com.

Mowery anticipates hosting an art show in the fall.