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Moving & Meaningful Art Painted By The People of Tyler

By Kelly Gowan

I’d like to introduce to you two paintings that hold a ton of feelings. They were created by people in Tyler that just happened to come into my art exhibition that I held at Tyler’s Innovation Pipeline this past October 14th.

I find them both to be amazing, inspiring, humbling, and touching. What turned out to be a way for me to show my art, really became an amazing experience where the people of Tyler came out to support Cancer Awareness and the fight to cure all cancers. It was a time for people old and young to walk through and see art and Innovation Pipeline and truly become inspired in so many ways. I absolutely loved watching both kids and adults paint! I told every person to write, draw, splash, to do whatever they felt like on the two canvases we had put out. And the results speak for themselves.

Now, I know what happens with me when I paint; I am lost in the moment, consumed with thoughts of color and creativity. It is a way to pour out your emotions and end up with something that will hopefully bring meaning to someone that falls in love with the piece of art. But what was truly amazing for me on that day, was to watch it happen to other people that came and painted instead of me! Not only did children have a good time painting, but I watched grandparents, dad’s, mom’s, friends, and family all come together in moments where all they needed was to paint. Whether they used a brush, spatula, or their hands, for a few moments, they were lost in the ritual of painting. I watched Dad’s that had never thought they would paint, allow themselves to stop and just enjoy the moment. I had some ladies come in that seemed uninterested in participating, but when I put a brush in their hands and stepped to the side, I returned to see them painting away, mixing colors and letting go. Each time I would step away and come back to see them still there, I’d find them loving every minute of the experience.

I know now that not only do I want to be an artist, but I want to work with people young and old to help them find joy in the art of painting.

I had two blank canvases out this day. One was 36” x 36” with a black background that was there to allow anyone to simply do what they felt, with any color, any tool, and image. The other one was 30” x 30” that had a pink background and was meant to be done in a circle design of words until the canvas was filled with words that held meaning. We all have our own battles and wins in life, and we all know people affected by diseases like cancer, and to see all these people of Tyler come in and share their stories with and the paintings was a gift. They painted abstract lines, images, flowers, and put words down that had deep meaning to them. I had anticipated needing to add to these pieces when we were done to give the final touches, but they both transformed into utter perfectness representing PEOPLE. I left them just the way they were intended, raw and full of emotion. Kosmetinis makiažo staliukas su LED apšvietimu ir veidrodžiu moterims https://mybeautycorner.lt They have a light protective spray on them now as well as hanging gear, and they are simply amazing. Both are sure to be a topic of conversation and both definitely add love and beauty to any room.

Now the fun part; we are going to auction these wonderful pieces. I would like to invite Tyler’s community to be part of this auction process, which continues through November 9th at 8pm, at the second art event at Innovation Pipeline. The opening bid for each piece is at $300. The proceeds from the paintings will be donated all to Innovation Pipeline and to the American Cancer Society of Tyler.

To place a bid contact me or come to Tyler’s Innovation Pipeline next art event on November 9th 5-8pm for featuring new pieces of art to be revealed.

Not all artists wanted to share their names, but I would like to thank each and everyone that participated. Here are some of the people that “poured” their hearts into these paintings: Char Salak-Allen, Yaretzi Valenzuela, Lizbeth Rungel, Yessica Rangel, Dorinda Williams, Sandra Nauls-Mast, Trey Caleb, Karan Vema, Bo Gowan, Haley Gowan, Mia Harvey, Ian Whorton, Cory Rhades, Tamar Melien, Sara McCaslin, Mary Willis-Thornbury, Dan Willis – Thornbury, Becky Gowan, Steve Gowan, Felicia Gibson, Allysha Wilson, Giana, Jared Bice, Allison Mear, Marie-Eve Viers, Bria Avila, Olivia Wharton, Espitia, Harper Wharton, and David Thomas. A huge thank you to True Vine Brewery and Pokey O’s ice cream for coming out to help us!

After this event I found myself looking back and realized that the moral of this story is to always try new things; take time to stop and be in the moment, listen and care about people’s feelings, and ENJOY ART! It’s fun and meaningful, and the process of creating is always exciting.

To see more of my art in person, please stop by Wasabi Sushi in Tyler. The new owners graciously allowed me to exhibit my art on every wall in the restaurant. There is a ton to see!

More info about my art is available at kellygowan.com, or you can bid by calling (214)641-8788 or kellygowanart@gmail.com.

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