Ariel Bowman creates sculptures of prehistoric animals in the style of the guilded or golden age of craftmanship. This comes with a twist: although all of her kinetic sculptures – oftentimes in the form of a clock – function, all of the clock mechanisms run backwards in time.

“I make sculptures of prehistoric animals that represent the wonder to be found in natural history. I am intrigued by animals that evolved with distinct features, such as unfamiliar tusks, strange, elongated limbs, and unusual proportions. I use clay to bring these animals back to life, sculpting folds of flesh and filling their bellies with air. The goal of my work is to bridge the gap between art and science. Within my work I employ reflective nostalgia and imaginative realism to place extinct creatures in the context of human history.” – Ariel Bowman

See more about Ariel Bowman

About Ariel: Ariel Bowman was raised in Dallas, Texas where her parents are both artists. Growing up, she spent a lot of time outside with animals. The undeveloped woodlands that surrounded her childhood home inspired her to create art that focused on the natural world. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in ceramics from the Kansas City Art Institute in 2011, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Florida in 2018. She has studied abroad at the International Ceramics Studio in Hungary and was awarded the Regina K. Brown NCECA undergraduate and graduate fellowships. Ariel has been an artist in residence at the Armory Art Center and her work has been collected by the Belger Arts Center, the Florida Museum of Natural History, and the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. She is currently the ceramics studio manager for the Concho Clay Studio at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts.

An opening reception will be held for Ariel’s exhibition on Friday, June 17, 2022 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. Opening receptions are free and open to the public. A cash bar and light refreshments will be available.

This exhibition is in tandem with two others on view at the same time: Leaving and Waving by Deanna Dikeman and the AKMA Found Object Exhibition. Entry into the museum gives visitors access to all of the exhibition spaces. Plan your visit here.