Humans First, Then The Animals
This gallery repeats paintings found in other galleries for portraits and animals as a means to focus on my appreciation for what it takes to go to work every day. A research administrator knows about requirements when human or animal subjects are involved. My thinking about these images is that they can refer to valuation, enjoyment, and hidden frustration. Human subjects are those I like or might feel neutral about. Animals stand in for humans who are not so worthy, my true feelings were my inside joke. The animal paintings are not nasty – the animals are stuck in their situation as well. People who heard the joke could understand my specific commentary and loved the idea. Read more…
Let’s Paint at Maudslay
Oil paint on canvas, 9 x 12 inches, 2015
My terrific painting teacher is carrying a lot of gear to encourage inexperienced students to set up and paint. High value here for this human. This painting hangs in his studio.
Stylist at Work
Acrylic paint on canvas, framed, 8 x 10 inches, 2023,
This stylish haircutter is excellent at his work. He honors the American flag and can relate with many kinds of people.
Art Delivery at Work – Hand on Art
Acrylic paint on canvas, framed, 8 x 10 inches, 2023
Hand on art shows concern and pleasure to make a delivery on a wintry day. The open door truncates the business name to read as hope.
Roofer at Work
Acrylic paint on canvas, framed, 8 x 10 inches, 2024 • AVAILABLE
Magic late-day light surrounds a roofer who takes pride in his work and reputation.
Plasterer at Work
Acrylic paint on canvas, 10 x 8 inches, 2025 • AVAILABLE
The plasterer is highly skilled, efficient, and cheerful. His final result is top notch and transforms the setting he starts out from.
Plumber at Work
Acrylic paint on canvas, 8 x 10 inches, 2025 • AVAILABLE
The plumber honors the code requirements, and stays focused on his careful and neat foundational work.
Tree Worker
Acrylic paint on canvas, 8 x 10 inches, 2025 • AVAILABLE
The tree worker knows where he is at, and addresses his next move.
Office Meeting, D&D #1
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2011
D&D coworkers stare out with a deadpan look and look a little bored.
Office Meeting, D&D #2
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2011 • AVAILABLE
D&D coworkers stare out with a deadpan look and look a little bored.
Office Meeting, D&D #3
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2011
Office Coworkers 1, A&T young guys
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2011 • AVAILABLE
These co-workers were friendly and did their jobs without complaint.
Office Coworkers 2, A&T uncertain moment
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2012 • AVAILABLE
A shifting environment can make a routine but busy job seem uncertain.
Office Coworkers, A&T relaxing outside
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2012 • AVAILABLE
Sitting on a bench outside the office, these two co-workers are relaxed.
Galway Girls, Sisters 1, MB&M outside
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2013
Two reliable administrators who worked in different offices. They had high standards and were lively.
Galway Girls, Sisters 2, MB&M inside
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2013
Galway Girls, Sisters 3, MB&M conference table
Oil paint on canvas board, 14×11 inches, 2013 • AVAILABLE
Staffers 1, M&C
Oil paint on canvas board, 16 x 20 inches, 2013 • AVAILABLE
A staffer and student worker work together.
Staffers 2, M&C
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2015
Staffers 3, M&C
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2015
Bari Solo
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2016 • AVAILABLE
Is it work? Yes, but they are great at it and love doing it.
The Future
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2016 • AVAILABLE
Two Sax Players
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2016 • AVAILABLE
Denver Mtg Research Admin, 1
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2019 • AVAILABLE
Research administrators relax after a meeting day full of presentations.
Denver Mtg Research Admin, 2
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2019 • AVAILABLE
Research administrators relax after a meeting day full of presentations.
Denver Mtg Research Admin, 3
Oil paint on canvas board, 20 x 16 inches, 2019 • AVAILABLE
Research administrators relax after a meeting day full of presentations.
Now, the Animals
The 12×12 oil paintings on panel started in 2012 and are shown here by year. They depict animals that serve as stand-ins for workplace humans I did not especially care for or relate to, my own inside joke. I chose chicken for myself, and use the chicken in other painting sizes. Beaver lodges in this format are grouped here rather than landscape. They are social animals who are good for their community.
Full Donkey 1
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2012
This painting was the first work in what became the 12×12 series. The donkey is a stand-in for some VP that had been elevated by promotion, or sometimes just a simple, pompous ass. The contented pose shows the animal in donkey heaven. The real donkey’s name was Nestor, very lovable and good with humans.
Full Donkey 2
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2012
Donkey Face!
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2012
This happy donkey’s ears are too small – typical for some higher-up. Although the ear’s proportions are “wrong” because I was still learning how to scale to the format, it belongs with the series. Love that pink sky!
Goat Face, Sun
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2012
This happy goat named Sun was the first goat in the series. Goats like to climb up and look out over the sheep and others in the corral. Goats stand for middle managers.
Cows, St. Tola Pasture
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2012
Two cows at peace with one another, stand-ins for two annoying co-workers who carried on inane conversations.
Pig Bucket
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2012
The only pig in the series, this one stands-in for the big office Director, oblivious and concentrated on satisfying its immediate needs.
Rabbits
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2013
Two office managers that are frozen and unwilling to act to help solve an issue that they should.
Turkey 1, Gold
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2013
A VP for Research was a turkey in so many ways. Turkeys don’t really fly but they make themselves noticed. At Thanksgiving time, I could display the painting with impunity.
Turkey 2, Blue
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2013
Turkey 2 is sinister, also a stand in for a VP for Research. At Thanksgiving time, I could display one or both turkeys with impunity
Two Sheep Under Duress
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2013
A major upheaval affected the office – it stayed chaotic for many years.
Goat Face Profile, Shine
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2013
Shine and Sun used to hang out together. Goats like to climb up and look out over the sheep and others in the corral. Goats stand for middle managers.
Beaver Lodge 1
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2013
The depiction of the mysterious lodge amid sunlight and sparkle made me consider the organization’s president. He lived in a palace and was rarely seen. One took it on faith that the social activity and engineering would work out.
Goat Face, Cloud
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2013
A middle-manager really had the mannerisms of this curly-haired goat.
Horse Pulling Away
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2013
In a major organizational change, a long-time “good-guy” was forced to retire too early.
Mocha Mille Grande
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2013
A co-worker who kept to herself but was not so bad.
Brown-Faced Sheep, Virgil
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2014
Virgil sheep painted in his youth, looking skeptical.
Sheep and Goat Resting, Prudence and Caroline
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2014
The two animals are happy in their environment. The title turned out not quite right. Prudence is actually a Bermuda sheep, not a goat.
Shaggy Donkey
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2015
A terrible and large office Director whose orientation was not with the staff. The donkey has a big rear end.
Two Turtles, Management
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2015
Cold-blooded, hard-shelled turtles stand in for Management. They are in the muck, one big shot followed closely by the self-important assistant.
Two Dogs
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2016
Two co-workers who had a little elevation in the office and really could be off-putting. The reference pic was taken in Utah, dogs chained behind the semi-tractor cab of a cattle hauler.
Beaver Lodge, Bright Light in Blue
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2016
Presidential palace, still mysterious in another light, deep woods beyond.
Beaver Lodge, Black Water
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2016
Presidential palace, still mysterious in another light, deep woods beyond.
Frog
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2016
A young co-worker would not ever budget from his one spot, or line of thought. He had big thighs from biking.
Two Sheep, Dark Green
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2016
In the deep green gloom, two sheep graze and keep their heads down.
Two Fowl, SPLF
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2018
Chickens peck away, cooped up, big rooster in the background. Flashes of color make life interesting.
Clams, C-grade
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2022
The general quality of staff in the immediate environment.
Sitting Goat, Grazing Donkey
Oil paint on panel, 12 x 12 inches, 2022
On its haunches in the dirt, the goat ain’t going anywhere or doing anything. The donkey is oblivious, grazing on rich, green grass.
COMMENTARY FOR THE WORLD OF WORK PAINTINGS
The World of Work paintings include human and animal and human portraits that served my development as a painter in mid-life. I was in the midst of a chaotic workplace environment and regular painting outside of work helped me keep my head and spirit together. As a research administrator, I wanted to treat my human and animal subjects with care.
The humans in this series represent people I have liked, or felt neutral about in the work environment. I asked to take quick pics of sitters to work on three paintings at a time. The idea was that a series would serve my aims for developing skills. Initially, I focused on composition plus faces and body postures. Later, their surroundings became important as well. I offered each sitter a painting as an appreciation of their contribution; I could keep what was not selected. After several years, I changed jobs and left the poor work environment, but the idea of workplace people was still engaging. I went on to paint smaller acrylic portraits of individual people I valued for their work. The compositions show workers in situ because the environment is integral to their experience on the job.
Many animal portraits are oil paintings on 12” x 12” panels, an inexpensive foundation that doesn’t require framing. The small format was useful to gain experience handling oil paint, mixing colors, and producing figures that could improve within a series. I worked towards achieving a satisfying, good effort. I completed 27 animal panels by the time I retired in 2022. I like to show multiples at a time. Ultimately, the series allows different groupings so broader commentary can result from the combinations.
The animal panels are stand-ins for workplace humans I did not especially care for – my inside joke. Goats are middle-managers that like to climb higher in the corral, donkeys represent VPs or just pompous asses, turkeys are senior officials, while sheep are simple co-workers who stand by. Other images include hardworking horses, useful, stodgy cows, chaotic dogs, an oblivious pig. In the wild category, turtles are managers with hard-shells in the muck, a frog is stuck on its lily pad, rabbits stop-still, and clams heap up. A beautiful, beaver lodge represents the president who is a social being who serves the community in unseen ways (and lives in a palace on campus). Over time, I’ve wondered whether a grouping in the form of an organizational chart may give me the best last laugh.
CYNTHIA KOWAL 