SHELTER

Rebecca Cowan is a printmaker, book artist and arts educator based in Kingston, Ontario. Cowan’s childhood was shaped by relocation, from pastoral new suburbs to vibrating inner cities. Regularly being the “new kid” encouraged her observation and analysis of others, while simultaneously tightening the ties within her own family. Over the course of her career, Cowan has explored how the ongoing conflict between security and freedom contributes to inner strength and psychological resilience. In this recent series of monotypes, Cowan considers the roles parents, friends, mentors and siblings take in sheltering us from an ever-changing world. Undefined structures and landscapes combine with barely legible bits of text to suggest the societal and personal anxieties that exist in the background of modern life. The work asks if it is the safety and security of our connections that enables survival. Rebecca Cowan’s recent solo exhibitions include The Julie Brown Project at Studio 22 in Kingston, and Into the Woods at Graven Feather in Toronto. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions, nationally and internationally, including the Seventh Annual Biennale for the Artist’s Book, Alexandria, Egypt. Cowan’s prints and books can be found in public and private collections throughout Canada and the United States.