Sketches from Life, 2014, Oil, 14” x 11”
Sketches from Life, 2014, Oil, 14” x 11”
Nashville Architect Stephen Wells, 2011, Oil, 42” x 30”
Ann Cowden
A Profile
in
P o rt r a i t s
by Gracie Pratt
F
or artist Ann Cowden, a portrait is not just a reflection of a likeness but a glimpse into an individual’s character and personality. Her portraits are born out of careful study and intentionality. She is determined to create pieces that will be treasured for generations, and her clients would testify that she has done just that.
Cowden has been an ar tist f rom the time she was a child, always eager to capture on paper what she saw with her eyes. It was a hobby that developed through her adulthood and continued as she raised her children, painting with them at the kitchen table. Throughout her career in interior design, painting was a love that persisted.
98 | February 2015 NashvilleArts.com
When she became a grandmother, her inspiration became more specific. She wanted to paint portraits of her grandkids. She recalls her first attempt at a portrait after years of painting landscapes and abstracts and remembers that her initial response was, I can’t do this. But instead of putting it aside, her lack of experience pushed her to study. So she began to visit