About the Artist

Here in the Southwest, there is a sense of elation that comes as you travel around most every corner on mountain roads, and one spectacular sight after another unfolds, and catches your breath.

This joy is what compels me to the easel to create works that reflect my understanding and vision of this place, in hopes that viewers will not only share in my insight, but will also consider the importance of preserving our natural resources for future generations. The wilderness calls me and drives me out into the meadows and mountains; easel and brushes in hand. 

For 15 years, my wife Judy and I splitting our time between Santa Fe and our cabin, until letting our cabin go  in Cuchara, Colorado.  Regardless of location, I am forever in search of new visions and deeper meaning through paintings inspired by life amid the Sangre de Cristo mountain range, with rich history spanning 400 years for European and U.S. people’s and thousand of years for Native Americans in this place.

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The genesis of this passion for New Mexico came when I was in my 20’s, moved to Zuni and met Alex Seowtewa.  Alex was a gifted painter, and among his amazing works was painting life-sized murals of kachinas on the walls of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Zuni Mission Church reflecting the ceremonial calendar of Zuni beliefs.  Depiction of  these ancient kachinas, or kokos, on the walls of a Catholic church was unique, and this work was visited by dignitaries from around the world.  See Alex working at left. I was fortunate enough to have studied with Alex for two years and we remained friends until his passing in 2014.   Alex had a generous spirit and was a respected elder in the Zuni faith.   He was uniquely gifted, ever-curious, respectful and full of friendship for everyone he met.

A major transformation for me, came when I met Sally Delap-John who introduced me to Plein Air Painting.  Early work I created, like the one below just above one of Alex's Rain dancer Kachina paintings, embodied the two-dimensional feel of Native American artists of the 1930s Santa Fe Indian School, such as Harrison Begay,  and J D Roybal.   With the concepts Sally introduced, over time my work took on the vibrancy and richness of color that enabled me to respond to what I was experiencing, while painting on location, in the outdoors.

This new style melded my love of the flat, pictorial qualities I learned from working with and studying Alex’s paintings and murals, and reminds me of my favorite spots.  One such spot with thousand year old petroglyphs and pictographs is shown in the picture of me below with Dusty and Kendall when they were younger.  Today, this style is effortlessly my own, and one that allows me to tell stories that reflect both the past and important challenges of our times. 

My influences further include such iconic Southwestern painters as Maynard Dixon, Ernest Blumenschein and Clark Hulings, as well as more contemporary painters like: Ed Sandoval, Clark Hulings, Peggy Immel, Michael Chesley Johnson and Chris Morel, many of whom I have been able to study under. 

Among my passions is also to help artists develop a viable business around their art, as I did for professionals in my previous life as an expert in energy efficiency technology and projects. I satisfy that endeavor by serving on the Clark Hulings Fund for Visual ArtBoard of Advisors www.clarkhulingsfund.org and by publishing articles on these topics. In my blog, I explore art business topics as well. 

My passion for preservation of nature guides my days. Travels with family, dancing with Judy, writing, and spending days hiking, skiing and exploring inform my painting and life. 

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Recognition:

- "Crisp Outing Truchas Morning", on Exhibition at the New Mexico Governor's Mansion, ultimately painting in this exhibition become part of the Museum of New Mexico Collection

- Enchanted Skies Award, Taos Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, Painting the Enchanted Circle, Juried Show for  "Taos Gorge Beckons"

Jack’s Bio

John J “Jack” McGowan was born born in Philadelphia in 1950, but has lived in New Mexico for more that 45 years.  He has studied painting with Sally Delap-John, Peggy Immel, Michael Chesley Johnson, Chris Morel, Robert Simone, JoAnna Arnett, and Michael Allen McGuire. Professional Development in the business of Art through workshops for the Clark Hulings Fund. He has served on the Advisory Board of the Clark Hulings Fund for Visiual Arts and has served as Marketing/Advertising Chair for Plein Air Painters of New Mexico.   His work is exhibited Santa Fe Art Collector www.santafeartcollector.com and at the New Mexico Governors Mansion.

Jack is a Member of the Oil Painters of America, Plein Air Painters of New Mexico and the Plein Air Artists of Colorado.  He has been invited to participate in Taos Plein Air Festival, at the Wilder Nightingale Gallery, Taos, NM; Taos Museum at Fechin Invitational Exhibition, Fechin Museum, Taos, NM; 32nd and 33rd Annual Old Church Fine Arts Show, NM; Central City Plein Air Festival, Central City, Colorado; Taos Plein Air, Blumenshein Museum, Taos, NM; Jemez Springs Invitational, Jemez Fine Art Gallery, Jemez, NM; and the Clovis Community College Show, Clovis, NM.

Jack's work has been featured in articles in New Mexico Magazine, Southwest Art, Artsy Shark, and the Santafean.

Currently, Jack serves on the art business Board above and also on the Corporate Board of directors for the New Mexico Gas Company, Albuquerque and Emera Technologies, Florida. Jack has been asked to speak at seminars and teach workshops on energy throughout North American, Europe and Asia. He has written five books, including Big Data, The Fairmont Press and has authored more than 200 articles on energy, business and art topics.