About the Illustrator Jan Bower began doing portraiture in high school, using oil pastels at first until she sold enough portraits to purchase her first set of oil paints. Her first commissioned oil portrait was of a professor at the college Gary attended. Self-taught and passionate about her art, she developed her skills and techniques through years of personal study, trial-and-error, and practice. Over the last 30+ years, Jan has painted hundreds of commissioned portraits. All along the way, her husband, Gary, kept trying to coax her to illustrate books for him. She finally gave it a whirl ten years ago. Now, illustrating consumes much of her time and artistic focus. She has created hundreds of adorable book illustrations, both for her husband's books and for others.
Jan Bower, Artist
Jan Bower's Artist Tip of the Month: "Read books & magazines that instruct AND inspire."
"I have read and subscribed to many artist magazines over the years, but my favorite by far is International Artist. I am always impressed with the quality of art featured, and the accompanying articles that teach technique. The variety of articles is excellent, covering a broad range of styles and mediums. It's a truly beautiful magazine!"
Jan buys her paints, brushes, and canvases from:
All artwork and text on this website are protected by copyright laws. All rights reserved. Copyright 2010 by Gary & Jan Bower 7700 Timbers Trail, Traverse City, Michigan 49684 * 231-941-0899
