Claire Cowie

Claire Cowie uses a variety of media to reference the natural world around her home in Seattle, as well as around the world. Cowie utilizes symbols of the natural world such as birds, insects, and a variety of plant-life, as well as heavily using the negative space in a work. By using watercolor and ink in the areas around her subject Cowie references the fragmentation between the natural world and us, as well as of memory. The colors and shapes in her work create dream-like landscapes that pull in characteristics of urban architecture.

 Claire Cowie lives and works in Seattle, Washington, where she is a lecturer at the University of Washington. Cowie attended both the North Carolina School of the Arts (Winston-Salem, NC) and Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO). She received her MFA from the University of Washington (Seattle, WA). Cowie’s work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, including shows at the Henry Art Gallery (Seattle, WA), Takeda Biennial (Oaxaca, Mexico), Tacoma Art Museum (Tacoma, WA), Frye Art Museum (Seattle, WA), Shenzhen Art Institute (Shenzhen, China) and the Art Gym at Marylhurst University (Lake Oswego, OR). Her work is included in the collections of the Henry Art Gallery (Seattle, WA), Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, WA), Safeco (Seattle, WA), and Tacoma Art Museum (Tacoma, WA), among others.

"The Smokestacks," 2004
"The Factories" 2004
"The Fence" 2004
"The Red River" 2004
"Meerkat Tree" 2006
"Meerkatscape," 2006
"The Ride" 2006
"Rhinoceros" 2006
"12 Views (Pink Tree)" 2008
"12 Views (Rainbow)" 2008
"12 Views (Glacier)" 2008
"12 Views (Bridge)" 2008
"Dead Reckoning," 2010
"Lost and Found" 2011
"Mind Map" 2012
"North Beacon Hill No. 2" 2014
"South Beacon Hill No. 2" 2014
"North Beacon Hill #1," 2014
"Seward Park No. 2" 2014
“Central District No. 1,” 2014
“Ribbons” 2017
“Cairn (for Tabitha)” 2017
“Granddaughter's Pride” 2018
“Cairn (for paulalights)” 2018
"unmasking"
September 9, 2022—December 31, 2022 | Online Exhibition
"unmasking"
"Shadow Time: Claire Cowie, Fay Jones, and Mary Ann Peters" at studio e
May 3, 2022—June 26, 2022 | Reception Saturday, May 14th, 5-7PM at studio e in Georgetown, Seattle
"Shadow Time: Claire Cowie, Fay Jones, and Mary Ann Peters" at studio e
Claire Cowie "Crossings"
January 15, 2022—March 5, 2022 | Online Exhibition January 15 to to March 5, 2022
Claire Cowie "Crossings"
Site Insight
November 13, 2021—January 8, 2022 | Online Exhibition
Site Insight
James Harris Gallery at Seattle Art Fair
August 1, 2019—August 4, 2019 | August 1 - 4, 2019
James Harris Gallery at Seattle Art Fair
"Threading the Needle"
March 7, 2019—April 21, 2019 | Opening Reception Thursday April 4th, 6:00 - 8:00pm
"Threading the Needle"
Claire Cowie: "Selvedge"
January 24, 2018—February 24, 2018 | Reception Thursday, January 4th, 6-8PM
Claire Cowie: "Selvedge"
Holiday Pop Up 2017
December 7, 2017—December 20, 2017 | Opening Reception Holiday Party: Thursday December 7th, 6-8pm
Holiday Pop Up 2017
Northwest Pop Up
December 1, 2016—December 17, 2016 | Opening Reception: Thursday, December 1st, 6-8pm
Northwest Pop Up
"Unexpected Customs: Efrain Almeida, Squeak Carnwath, Claire Cowie, and Akio Takamori"
September 1, 2016—October 8, 2016
"Unexpected Customs: Efrain Almeida, Squeak Carnwath, Claire Cowie, and Akio Takamori"
"Tunnel of Silence"
February 18, 2016—April 2, 2016 | Reception Saturday, February 20th, 3-5pm
"Tunnel of Silence"
"Pop Up, Pop In"
December 3, 2015—December 19, 2015 | Reception Thursday, December 3rd, 6-8PM
"Pop Up, Pop In"
Claire Cowie: "Pathways"
March 13, 2014—April 12, 2014 | Reception Thursday, March 13th 6:00-8:00pm
Claire Cowie: "Pathways"
"Mirage: Selected Paintings and Works on Paper
March 22, 2012—April 28, 2012 | Reception Thursday, March 22nd, 6-8PM
"Mirage: Selected Paintings and Works on Paper
Claire Cowie: "Works on Paper"
March 3, 2011—April 2, 2011 | Reception Thursday March 3rd 6-9 pm
Claire Cowie: "Works on Paper"
Claire Cowie: "12 Views"
November 13, 2008—December 20, 2008 | Reception Thursday, Nov. 13th, 6-8PM
Claire Cowie: "12 Views"
Claire Cowie: "Tree"
January 10, 2008—February 9, 2008 | Receptin Thursday, jan 8th, 6-8PM
Claire Cowie: "Tree"
Claire Cowie: "About Strange Lands: Sculpture and Works on Paper"
May 11, 2006—June 17, 2006 | Reception Thursday, May 11th, 6-8PM
Claire Cowie: "About Strange Lands: Sculpture and Works on Paper"
Claire Cowie: "Land Escapes"
February 19, 2004—March 27, 2004 | Reception Thursday, Feb. 19th, 6-8PM
Claire Cowie: "Land Escapes"
Claire Cowie: "Stagings"
July 3, 2002—August 3, 2002 | Reception Wednesday, July 3rd, 6-8PM
Claire Cowie: "Stagings"
"Silence" 2013
"Father Mother" 2013
"Boy with Blue Hat" 2002
“Imperfect Vessel No. 13” 2020
“Imperfect Vessel No. 5” 2020
“Self-Portrait (Blind)” 2019
“Self-Portrait” 2002
“Pallas” 2016
“The Game” 2020
“The Storm” 2009
“Stranded: Raven and Egret” 2010
“Waiting (Ship)” 2012
"Orange Smoke" 2004
“The Root System” 2004
"Two Rabbits in Dresses" 2019
"Mind Map III" 2019
"Celebration" 2019
"Traveller (Camel, Rooster stacked)" 2015-2018
"Traveller (Penguin)" 2015-2018
"Reverse Target Star 2" 2018
"Brake" 2018
Traveler (man with elephant), 2015
Traveler (cat with dog), 2015
Traveler (penguin), 2015
"The Path" 2004
"The Lone Boat" 2004
"Homunculus Sketch, Girl with Moose" 2007
"12 Views (Bonsai)" 2008
"12 Views (Pink Tree)" 2008
"12 Views (Man on Mule)" 2008
“Ribbons” 2017
“Cairn (for paulalights)” 2018
"Daughter's Pride" 2018
"New Holly No. 2" 2014
"South Beacon Hill No. 3" 2014
"Seward Park No. 2" 2014
"Central District No. 1" 2014
"North Beacon Hill No. 2" 2014
"New Holly No. 1" 2014
"Judkins Park No. 1" 2014
"Spring Village" 2008
"Traveler (camel rooster stack)" 2015
"Security Blanket: The Guard" 2016
"Nice Does" 2017
"Nice Doesn't" 2017