Capturing the human form in all its glory can be a true challenge for many artists. Often artists struggle in life drawing classes and cannot grasp the intricate nature of the human body. However, that is not the case with Alexandra Grashion-Cowley. This amazing artist has not merely mastered the art of the human form, but has been featured in the book 100 Artists of the Male Figure. Her pieces expertly showcase the intimate nature of subjects and her emphasis on intricate detail is phenomenal.
Art comes to the artist at different times in their life. For Alexandra, art was always there. Her parents empowered her passion for all genres of art and therefore, she has taught every form of art imaginable and even been involved in fashion design for theatrical performances. There is no limit to the passion and commitment of this inspired artist and her paintings are a celebration of love, beauty, diversity in all its forms.
Alexandra Grashion-Cowley paints with mixed media including both acrylic and oil. She is known for her vibrant and inspiring colour combinations and produces stunningly inspirational pieces in various genres including abstract art. Let us ask this remarkable artist a few questions about her art style.
Where do you find your paintings most popular in? A specific country? Gallery? Other collections?
I consider myself fortunate to have had success selling my paintings from galleries both physical and online to private collectors in the UK and abroad, with a number shipped to America.
What part of the human body do you find most difficult to paint?
Personally I find the torso quite tricky to paint on both male and female bodies. Everything has to be in exactly the right place with the correct distance between each body part otherwise the image is thrown out of sync and looks unnatural.
Have you always been inspired by love and interaction between humans?
I have always been inspired by the passion humans can portray whether it be a single pose or the interaction of a group – which is perhaps the most difficult but the most fun to create.
How has your art evolved throughout your professional art career?
I think as we go through life we have different experiences, observing and gaining knowledge which can naturally help our art evolve and I have learnt what can be achieved by the use of different mediums. Figurative work will always be my main passion but now I enjoy adding an abstract element giving a more contemporary feel incorporating strong vibrant use of colour. A relatively new experience for me is creating glamorous crowd scenes in the form of a collage using acrylic paint and patterned paper which complement and enhance one another enabling intricate detail to be achieved.
For your abstract pieces, what is your process? Are they based primarily off of movement, passion, or some other driving force?
My work is often very exacting, so I enjoy painting abstracts by way of a change. I am drawn to flora, especially trees and leaves, but also the earth by way of rock formations and their colours. I begin by completely covering the canvas with patches of colour chosen for the painting and roughly restrict them to the areas where they will be developed. I then divide the canvas into shapes and work within each, allowing one to spill into another as the painting takes shape. I personally need those boundaries to begin with, it helps me maintain balance especially when working on a large canvas.
You have had a remarkably versatile life with various career choices. Which would you say is your absolute favourite and why?
When I was still teaching art I think certainly the most rewarding period was joining forces with two of my colleagues and creating our own independent art group for people who often struggled on a daily basis with their health both mentally and physically. It offered a comfortable safe place for them to be, make friends and learn how to paint along the way.
View more artworks by Alexandra Grashion-Cowley
