Eric Bowman was born in Pasadena and grew up in Orange County, CA. Essentially a self-taught artist, Eric had a knack for drawing as far back as he can remember, always the class artist throughout his elementary and high school years. Early on, various art-related jobs such as silk screen T-shirt printer or surfboard airbrush technician led to a lengthy and successful career as a commercial artist, eventually transitioning to fine art painting.
As a painter, Eric has exhibited in national & regional exhibitions in some of the country's most prestigious galleries and museums including the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, the Autry Museum of the American West,the Briscoe Western Art Museum, the Gilcrease Museum, the Kaiping Art Museum in China, the Academy Art Museum, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles and theSalmagundi Club in NYC. His paintings are in private and corporate collections throughout the U.S. as well as England, China, Australia, Canada, Mexico and the West Indies.
Eric's work has also been showcased in feature articles with Western Art & Architecture, Art Of The West, Southwest Art, Practique Des Arts(France), Western Art Collector,International Artist, Fine Art Connoisseur,and Plein Air magazines. He is a Signature Member of the California Art Club and former Signature Artist of the American Impressionist Society and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Assoc. When not traveling to various art events or visiting his beloved home state of California, Eric resides in northwest Oregon with his wife and daughter.
PUBLICATIONS:
Western Art Collector magazine- 6 page Feature Article plus 2-page adSeptember 2023
Western Art & Architecture magazine- 6 page Feature Article plus 2-page adAugust/September 2023
Western Art & Architecture magazine- Art of Collecting/ Prix de West preview June/July 2022
True West magazine- Scottsdale Art Auction report June 2022
Western Art Collector magazine - Group Show Preview July 2021
Art of the West magazine - STUDIO FEATURE March/April 2021
Western Art Collector magazine - COVER and Solo Show Preview Feb 2021?
Western Art Collector magazine - Solo Show Preview Nov 2020
Southwest Art magazine - COVER and Solo Show Preview Nov 2020
Western Art Collector magazine - Prix de West Show Preview Aug 2020
"Maynard Dixon's American West; Along the Distant Mesa" book 2019
Southwest Art magazine - Feature Article January 2019
Southwest Art magazine - Solo Show Preview June 2018?
Western Art Collector magazine - Solo Show Preview June 2018?
Fine Art Connoisseur magazine: Featureon Western Influences Oct 2017
Western Art Collector magazine: Solo Show Preview August 2017
Art of the West magazine - Feature Article March/April 2017
Plein Air magazine - Feature Article April 2016
Pratique Des Arts (French art publication) - Feature Article May 2015
Southwest Art magazine - "Artist to Watch" Oct 2014
International Artist magazine - Feature Article Nov/Dec 2014
Uncle Jam magazine - Feature Article and Cover Image Winter 2013
American Art Collector magazine - Solo Show Preview May 2013
Southwest Art magazine - "Artistic Excellence Award" Dec 2012
AWARDS:
Second Place Award - "BoldBrush Painting Competition" October 2023
Great American Cowboy Award - “Prix de West” June 2021
Second Place Award - "BoldBrush Painting Competition" Sept. 2020
Product Award - Montgomery Frames, “Masters of the American West” Autry Museum, Feb 2019
Artist Choice Award - "Sonoma Plein Air" - Sept. 2018 - Sonoma, CA
Best of Show - BoldBrush Painting Competition April 2018
Best of Show - BoldBrush Painting Competition June 2017
First Place Award - "Plein Air Salon" Oct/Nov 2016
Second Place Award - "BoldBrush Painting Competition" October 2016
Finalist - "BoldBrush Painting Competition" August 2016
Finalist - "BoldBrush Painting Competition" October 2015
Finalist - "BoldBrush Painting Competition" November 2015
Best of Show Award - "BoldBrush Painting Competition" January 2015
Finalist - "BoldBrush Painting Competition" November 2014
Finalist - "BoldBrush Competition" August 2014
Honorable Mention - Southwest Art magazine "Artistic Excellence” 2012
Artist Choice Award - "Sonoma Plein Air" - Oct 2012 - Sonoma, CA
Plein Air Magazine Award - "Sonoma Plein Air" - Oct 2012 - Sonoma, CA
Second Place Award - "Plein Air Easton" - July 2012 - Easton, Maryland -
Second Place Award (x2) - "Hillsboro Plein Air" July 2010 Hillsboro, OR
Purchase Prize Award - "Chronicle Exhibition Invitational" 2010 -Lake Oswego, OR
Third Place Award - "Pacific Northwest Plein Air" 2009 - Hood River, OR
Finalist - "BoldBrush Painting Competition" July 2009
Third Place Award - "San Clemente Plein Air" 2008 - San Clemente, CA
First Place Award - "Pacific Northwest Plein Air" 2008 - Hood River, OR -
Second Place Quick Draw - "San Clemente Plein Air" 2008 SC, CA
2 Purchase Prize Awards - "Pacific NW Plein Air 2007" - Hood River, OR
Honorable Mention - "Pacific NW Plein Air 2006" - Hood River, OR
First Place Award - "Pacific Northwest Plein Air" 2005"- Hood River, OR
Best Oil Award - "Gorge Plein Air" 2005 - Troutdale, OR
People's Choice Award - "Gorge Plein Air Show"2005 - Troutdale, OR
SELECT SHOWS
Prix de West- 2020, 2021 - National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK
Small Works, Great Wonders- 2019 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK
Masters of the American West- 2019, 2020 Autry Museum - Los Angeles, CA
California Art Club Gold Medal Exhibition Natural History Museum, 2018 - Los Angeles
Coors Western Art Exhibition- 2016, 2017 - Denver, CO
Chinese & American Outdoor Painting Exhibition 2016 Kaiping Art Museum, Kaiping, China
American Masters Exhibition - 2014, 2015, 2016 - Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
Sonoma Plein Air - 2009, 2011 thru 2019 - Sonoma, CA
Maynard Dixon Country -2016 - Mount Carmel, Utah
California Art Club Gold Medal Exhibition Autry Museum 2016, 2017, 2018 - Los Angeles
Collectors Reserve 2015 Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK
American Impressionist Society National Exhibition – 2010 thru 2015,
Plein Air Easton 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011 - Easton, Maryland
Laguna Plein Air Painters Assoc. Invitational - 2013 - Laguna Beach, CA
Oregon Invitational Plein Air - 2012 - Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Oil Painters of America National Exhibition- 2012, 2009, 2008
Salon International - 2010 - Greenhouse Gallery; Austin, TX
Oil Painters of America Western Regional Exhibition- 2009, 2005
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