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artist statement

Through my style of unblended mark-making, I create acrylic, mixed-media paintings depicting landscapes of belonging. Aa a member of both artist and software developer communities, I am curious about why we place limitations on ourselves to belong.

In my pieces, I visually investigates a tension between loose, chaotic imperfection and a cohesive composition. In recent work, I’ve discovered how to achieve this with fewer layers, finding that leaving exposed canvas with the first fluid layers adds a stillness.

After years of exclusively exploring abstraction (and being in the closet) in 2023, I began adding figures into my work to find out how a subject would interact with my landscapes of belonging. I am exploring how to bring charcoal sketches from life drawing sessions into my colorful, chaotic landscapes with collage and linework.

When we find somewhere we belong, we can be vulnerable, loose and unfinished while also being bold, cohesive and strong. In my visual investigation into the limitations we place on ourselves, I believe we discover a real sense of belonging when we don’t listen to any rules at all.

bio

Montana has been painting seriously for seven years. She grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains in California, USA. She then attended Brown University in Providence, RI, USA. There she double majored in computer science and visual art.

At Brown, Montana fell in love with painting while studying under Wendy Edwards, Jerry Mischak, and Ayana Evans. Her first exhibition was at Casa de Porras in Granada, Spain when she studied abroad and took a course with Spanish artist, Alhambra García Caballero in 2018. She has also enjoyed learning from Santa Cruz artist, Carrie Clayden.

After graduating from Brown, Montana moved to California to get her masters degree in Computational Media at the University of California, Santa Cruz. With her background in visual art and computer science, she focused her research on digital art tools. For her masters thesis she built a generative art tool called SlimeArt. In SlimeArt, users create colorful, dynamic particle simulations with an agent-based model of slime mold.

While her graduate studies focused on digital art and teaching computer science, Montana continued to develop her acrylic painting practice. One of her paintings was selected for an open call at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History calling for local artists’ work responding to the pandemic. The show exhibited during the spring of 2021. Additionally, in 2021 she completed her own 100 Day Project of working in her sketchbooks, exhibited in a group show of local artists at the R. Blitzer Gallery, and developed a daily painting practice.

In September of 2021 she moved to Montreal after receiving her masters degree. In Montreal, Montana works in her studio at Ateliers3333. As an early bird, she paints in the morning before work. During the day, she works on creative tools as a software developer.

The best ways to stay up to date on her work are to subscribe to her newsletter, or follow her on Instagram (@montanafowler_cs_art).

exhibitions

BBV Marché Pop-up & Vente Communautaire June 2022
BBV Bed & Breakfast, Montreal, QC, Canada

Santa Cruz Visual Artists Network Show Feb to March 2021
R. Blitzer Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

In These Uncertain Times… Jan to May 2021
Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

Loma Prieta Holiday Craft Faire December 2019
Loma Prieta Community Center, Los Gatos, CA, USA

Senior Capstone Show May 2019
List Art Center, Providence, RI, USA

Solo Show December 2018
List Art Center, Providence, RI, USA

Juega May 2018
Casa de Porras, Granada, Spain

awards

Roberta Joslin Award in Visual Art June 2019
Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

Senior Prize in Computer Science June 2019
Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

100 day projects

Writing: The Artist’s Way Jan-Apr 2023
Montreal, QC, Canada

Works on Paper Jan-Apr 2022
Montreal, QC, Canada

Work in Sketchbooks Feb-May 2021
Santa Cruz, CA, USA

Not ready to pick a painting today? Curious about an inside look inside my process? I share the best updates in my newsletter, while giving casual updates on my Instagram (@montanafowler_cs_art). I love connecting with others over a love of art.