"I believe art can transform society. I would like people to think about the future or our world, our connection within it, and our ability to affect real positive change."

- Louise McDowell

Vision

I am a figurative artist, specializing in cast bronze sculpture.

 

I sculpt because I love it.  I love working with a tactile medium creating a three-dimensional, figurative sculpture that is converted into a bronze image.  The visual expression of movement and transformation has been a trademark of my artwork and is very much a part of the on-going creation of each piece.  I have worked themes of environmental stewardship, connections, circles of life, a caring for others, the nurturing of children and the coming together of community into my artwork.

 

My intention is to generate artwork that surprises, delights and continually opens up new insights and unexpected avenues of understanding.  Interaction with the work happens on a personal level.  I seek to inspire observers and to stimulate imaginative thought, smiles, conversation, as well as to affirm the human condition.

 

I believe that art can be a force for transforming society.  Art plays a key role in our future, drawing attention to the environment, to social justice, and to the love of life.  I would like people to think about the future of our world, our connection within, and our own ability to affect real positive change.

The Process of Creating the Sculpture

Creation of a wax model is the first step in creating a bronze sculpture.  Once the original is formed, the piece is taken to a foundry to be cast.  Large sculptures require portions to be cast and reassembled as one piece.

 

A rubber mold of the original is taken prior to casting.  This step is necessary to reproduce a hollow wax of the original, to eliminate armature material that had been used in the construction of the piece, and to permit duplicate waxes for limited editions.

 

The hollow wax is then invested in a waste mold, with core material suspended in the space. This mold is cured in a kiln; the wax drains out of the mold leaving a hollow  space into which bronze is poured.  This is called the “lost wax” process.

Projects

PUBLIC PIECES

Coach

Coach Armstrong
Snohomish High School
Snohomish, WA

 

Located at Snohomish High School in Washington, this artwork is a memorial to a well-loved coach who touched the hearts and influenced many young people during his many years at the school.

Confluence

Reedsport, OR

 

The fountain represents the confluence of three rivers that meet in Reedsport, OR; birds and fish are representative of the local wildlife. My intent was to capture the energy and nature of this community, one that is influenced and shaped by the environment.

Gentle Encounter

Heritage Park
Lynnwood, WA

 

This sculptural grouping is an historical piece sited in Heritage Park, Lynnwood WA.  Chicken farming was a central part of that heritage with a demonstration farm set up to teach newcomers (city folk) farming skills.

River of Life

Riverfront Park
Corvallis, OR

 

The theme of this sculpture is the passing on the love and lore of the environment to the young.  The sculpture shows the importance of the environment to those who live in the Willamette Valley, OR, in the past and in the present.  It is sited in Riverfront Park, Corvallis, OR.

Tree of Life

Nature Center
Chula Vista, CA

 

Sited in Chula Vista, California, “Tree of Life” depicts the interrelationship of living things.

Playful

Jerry Smith Plaza
Mountlake Terrace, WA

 

A group of three sculptures (Playmates, The Winning Catch, and Going for the Goal) is installed in the Jerry Smith Plaza in Mountlake Terrace, WA.  They represent an image of “playfulness”, a characteristic of the community of Mountlake Terrace.  The children shown in this set represent the diversity of the community.  Each of the sculptures depicts a different sport.

It Was a Home

Oso, WA

 

Nineteen mailboxes were a landmark for Steelhead Drive, the site of the Oso, WA landslide.  The sculptural representation is a memorial to the 43 people who lost their lives that day.  The sculpture is installed at the site and the home of a future memorial park.

Legacy

Mountlake Terrace, WA

 

A firefighter interacts with a child; the gentle gesture of adjusting the helmet demonstrates caring for the child by this adult.  The theme is passing on the legacy of a firefighter, one of service and courage.

Gossips

Peter Kirk Park
Kirkland, WA

 

“Three Gossips” gather in Peter Kirk Park in Kirkland, WA.  The park is a community gathering place.  It is fitting that the three ladies form a circle in that place, involved in an animated and perhaps intimate discussion.

STANDALONE PIECES

Swing Dance

This sculpture depicts a moment of abandon, great joy, and the freedom of dance.  It’s all about movement.

Phase 2

“Phase 2” represents the phase of life when one’s children are grown and away in college. It’s a time when a woman can sit and meditate.   I was commissioned to depict this phase of life and the client poses on the bench with the sculpture.

Shy Girl

I sought to capture the personality of a young girl.

Cranes Rising

Migrating birds rise up out of an environment and take flight.

Ready for Anything

This teenager is ready to take on the world.  She could be ready to dream, to work in the garden, to go off to a party.

The Gardener

“The Gardener” is a bit whimsical and meditative.  She exudes hope as she digs into the soil and plants seeds for the future.

Adagio

This cellist is totally absorbed in her music. She becomes one with her cello and the melody flowing from her instrument.

Transformation

The winged figure depicts a moment of great change, of swerving from an expected path, of the energy exerted in that endeavor. The emotion is one of joy. It is a spiritual journey.

SMALL PIECES

Melody for Strings

Dressed in formal attire as if at a concert, the woman creates a striking silhouette.  She is one with her instrument.

Doryman (Oarsman)

I sought to create an expression of power and movement in this depiction of an oarsman.

Shepherdess

“The Shepherdess” exhibits her great love of the little one who is sheltered in her arms.

Unencumbered

Wrapped in bindings that should bind the figure to the earth, “Unencumbered” reaches for the sky and is not encumbered by the cares of the world.

Running Free

I sought to expose the power, freedom and joy exhibited by these horses in their unrestricted run.

Renunciation

What does it feel like to be free of intrigues, the need for worldly goods and the trappings of our technological age?  I would like to think that I capture that feeling in this sculpture.

Letting Go

The young mother still is hesitant to let her toddler run off without her but is trying.  The toddler is all set to find out what this world is about.

Story Cloth

The story cloth is woven with mementos of her life.  She holds a letter in one hand and the opened envelope in the other.  I leave it to the viewer to discern the story that is woven into this piece.

About

Louise McDowell is a figurative sculptor whose work explores the dynamism of human and animal forms.  Growing up in New York City, she was influenced by the cultural diversity of big city life.  Her sculptures portray how people react to a wide spectrum of realities, simple ordinary moments of pleasure and discovery, powerful socio-political events, and transcendent and triumphant experiences.

 

Early years in Coney Island provided another aspect of life: access to ocean, wildflowers and the hum of life within a meadow. Her love and affinity for the environment was awakened by her appreciation of the interrelationship of life and honed by a year in Kodiak, Alaska.  These influences are reflected in much of her work.

 

Louise has resided in Seattle for the last 50+ years and her ties to the environment have continued to grow.  This affinity is reflected in her sculptures.  With bronze as her medium, she has developed a large body of work.

 

“My work is constantly in transition, reflecting my life.  It is a never-ending quest.”

Contact Louise

Email: mcdowellsinseattle@outlook.com

Location: Seattle, WA