Meet Mary Cowan | Artist & Mom

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary Cowan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mary, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work Life balance is something I must strive for as an artist. As a creative, its easy for me to get lost in my work. So, as a mom, Ive found that mixing fun with work, and including my family on my projects, makes it a fun family affair. We go on vacation together and I use that as a time to gather inspiration as well as work. Examples include, taking the kids on a hike to the lake. They love to fish, while I watch and paint. We do the same at the beach or the golf course. I love to take this time to include my kids and teach them what I know, as well as asking them for feedback on what I’ve done. After all, it doesn’t really seem like work, if you love what you do and are surrounded by people who support you.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I got to where I am professionally today because I have an amazing support network of family and friends who encourage me and support me as I continue on my journey. The road has not been easy and self doubt often creeps in. I remember to always tell myself to “trust the process”. I remember that every mistake is actually an opportunity to learn or to turn the mistake into something that makes the painting even better. And lastly, I remember that its just a sheet of paper and I have thousands more.

I am passionate about what I do and I’m happy to invite anyone to follow my journey as I grow and change. Afterall, Im a lifelong learner.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh wow! This is a hard one. We love the mountains and there are so many wonderful places to see. I must say that Steamboat is among one of my favorites. It’s so laid back and family friendly. In the summer, I would take them to hike Fish Creek falls and make sure they went on the drive through the aspen forest on the way to Strawberry Park Hot Springs. I would make sure to take the to Ches Nous boutique downtown as well as Deja Vu boutique. I would take the to eat at Aurum food and wine for some outdoor summer dining. In the winter, I would pack a lunch and take them skiing. When we were exhausted from that I would hit up apres ski at Los Locos and Slopeside Grill. I love the relaxed and slightly western vibe of this town. It’s such a gem.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I actually started my journey back at Iowa State University 1999, where I became a student at the design college and eventually graduated in Fashion Design. Ive always loved art, but ended up stepping away from it and not coming back to my passion until a few years ago. I discovered a subscription box for a company called “Let’s Make Art”. It essentially gave you all that you needed to create watercolor projects, including videos. I quickly learned that I could watch time lapse videos on You Tube and learn an extraordinary amount of techniques by simply watching and copying. People started asking my for commissions and I was very flattered. It was enough, that I decided to start my own business and still continue my education using an online platform called “Skillshare”. Since then, I have branched out from watercolor to urban sketching, one line drawings and photography. Ive even used the platform to speak Italian for my upcoming trip.

Website: Www.adventureillustrations.com

Instagram: @adventure_illustrations