Gordon Cowan is a self-taught artist who works primarily in oils and most often with he human form. A recurring favorite theme is capturing the spirit of the blues on canvas through powerful portrayals of blues and jazz musicians. He uses a decidedly dark palette which he feels best synchs to the visceral drama of the genre. "I want the viewer to embrace the raw passion and truth in this music - to taste the bourbon and smell the sweat."

Recently Cowan has lightened and expanded his palette to explore the alluring world of gypsy dancers. In addition to painting, Cowan, a classically trained pianist, enjoys working in charcoal and pencil utilizing old discarded sheet music - some manuscripts dating from the 1890's - as his canvas. His subsequent sketches are loosely based on the title and/or lyrics of the composition.

A Detroit native, Cowan moved to Minneapolis from Boston in January 2017 and is delighted to join the camaraderie of the 300 artists creating at the Northrup King Building.

By appointment days and evenings