About the Artist

For me art is a sentimental journey.

I am an impressionist painter, primarily working now in soft pastels on sanded paper or board, and acrylic paint on canvas. I hope to connect with people who share my love of landscapes painted in and around Northern California beaches and parks from Big Sur to Davenport. Through the language of art I can express the joy I feel when creating a magical world of unlimited possibilities for combining colors, shapes, lines, and textures.

Although I was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I grew up in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California. After receiving a BA at CSUN in 1972, I moved to the San Francisco Peninsula to work as a Graphic Designer for an ad agency, followed by positions in marketing for high-tech companies. For the last several years I have been able to devote more time to my passion for art making in Northern California, and enjoying memberships in two plein-air painting groups.

I have won recognition in local art shows and online competitions, but to see my work in person…visit Gallery 9:

Gallery 9

143 Main Street, Los Altos, CA 94022

650-941-7969

Education
California State University, Northridge, CA
BA, Graphic Design

Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA
Advertising Design

San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Marketing Communications

 
Selected Group Exhibitions/Competitions/Juror in California

2026 Group Show, "Red, White & Blue," at Gallery 9 Los Altos, CA celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the United States, June 2-28. Reception on June 5, 5-8pm.

2025 Winter Group Show, "A Few of our Favorite Things," December 2-24 at Gallery 9, Los Altos, CA. Reception December 5, 5-8pm.

2025 Featured Artist Show, "Bird's Eye View, July 29-August 31, at Gallery 9, Los Altos, CA. Reception on First Friday, August 1, 5-8pm.

2024 Santa Cruz Oil Painters "Small Works Showcase," December 3-29 at Artisan & Agency, Santa Cruz. Reception on December 6, 6-8 pm.

2024 Summer Group Show May 28-June 30 at Gallery 9, Los Altos, CA. Reception on First Friday, June 7, 5-8pm.

2023 Featured Artist Show June 27-July 30 at Gallery 9, Los Altos, CA. Reception on First Friday, July 7, 5-8pm.

2022 October 6 - November 6 was a new opportunity to show four pastel paintings at the Santa Cruz Oil Painter's, California Land and Sea exhibit of 18 artists at Coastal Arts League Gallery, 300 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, October 6 - November 6.
2021 Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA, is pleased to accept my submission, "Fall Is In The Air," into their 100th Anniversary Exhibition, so this 11"x14"pastel is available for sale starting November 5.  All accepted artwork will be on view at PAL November 5, 2021-January 20, 2022. Online Gallery too.

2021 Featured Artist Show June 29-August 1 at Gallery 9, Los Altos, CA. Reception & Grand Re-Opening on First Friday, July 2, 5-8pm.

2020  "Lagoon Light," 12"x12" Pastel of Schwann Lagoon, Santa Cruz, was accepted by Los Altos History Museum, Benefit Collection (with hard-copy catalog), Online Art Auction from Nov 17 through Dec 6, plus "Cocktails & Conversations," an evening with artists & collectors Friday, December 4, 7pm via Zoom where each artist shared their art and background.

2020  "Monica," 16" x 20" Pastel portrait of a Covid Nurse, Italy, was juried into the Pacific Art League's, 99th Anniversary Exhibit: Beyond 20/20, to be shown in the windows and on the gallery walls at PAL from October 2 - December 31, during the Corona Virus epidemic.

2020 Featured Artist Show in front window of Gallery 9 June 15-29

2020 "Gallery 9, Celebrating Art in Los Altos" exhibit, January 30 thru March 8 at Los Altos History Museum with Pastel Demo by Carol Bower 12N-2:00pm, Feb 15

2019 Honored to exhibit "Springtime, Point Lobos" at the LGAA Members' Juried Show, October 11-December 9, Jewish Community Center, Los Gatos.

2019 Honored to exhibit at SALON 2019 art show on April 22 at the San Jose Museum of Art. Artist/Docents like myself were invited to display a few pieces of their art. Mine were "A Pretty Dress," "Coastal Moon," and "Kami," and I gave a short talk about each and my artistic journey.

2019 Showing two 28" x 26" Metal Prints from original acrylic paintings "Davenport Bluff" (sold) and "Wetlands Wonderland" at Red Berry Coffee, Los Altos for the months of March and April.

2018 "Golden Foothills," 11"x 14" pastel, was one of 20 paintings juried to hang at the Filoli estate, Woodside, CA for two months, September 7-November 4. The show theme: "Fall Landscapes of the Golden State."

2018 "Pescadero to Big Sur," Santa Cruz Oil Painters group exhibit of 50 paintings for sale June 1-30 at Iveta Cafe, S.C., CA

2018 Featured Artist Show with 24 pastel paintings hung at Gallery 9, Los Altos, February 27 to April 1, 2018, entitled "Opening Our Eyes and Hearts: Local Landscape and Seascape Paintings in Soft Pastel by Carol Bower," with reception March 2, 5-8pm.

2017 "An Old Settler," "Carousel," "Shark Fin Cove," "Shorebirds in Moonlight, Santa Cruz," and "Vineyard in Fall, Aptos" have been juried into "Quintessential Santa Cruz County" show by curater, Mary Anne Carson. Nineteen painters works will be hung in five local offices of the Santa Cruz County Bank from August 15, 2017 through March 2, 2018.

2017 "Lost in Thought" was accepted by juror, Norman Beal, into the San Fernando Valley Arts & Cultural Center 50+ competition with the theme "The Art of Creative Aging II." Show runs August 1-19, 2017 at the center in Tarzana, CA.

2017 Juror for "Santa Clara County Art in the Park Plein Air Contest," Martial Cottle Park, April 15-28.

2017 "Spring Greeting" was given an Honorable Mention by juror, Ned Mueller, judge for the California Plein Air Painters 2017 Spring Online Competition and Showcase of Winners.

2017 "Pensive" was accepted by juror, Nancy MacDonald, into the Pastel Society of the West Coast 2017 Online Membership Exhibition of February 22 to March 20.

2016 Gallery 9, "The Color of Light," is the December theme for "Fall at Ghost Ranch," and "Abiquiu Vista."

2016 Gallery 9, "Summer" is the August theme for my "Summer Roses," "Carmel Beach," and "Moored."

2016 Doon Gallery, featured artist June 25 and 26, at Suzanne Elliott's occasional gallery in Bonny Doon, CA

2016 "Kami" was accepted into "Figures and Faces," Pacific Art League's show juried by Lynne Todaro, faculty member and gallery director at Mission College, Santa Clara. Show runs May 6-26 at Pacific Art League gallery, Palo Alto.

2016 "Pajaro Valley: the Land and People," Santa Cruz Oil Painters Member Juried Show, Watsonville Community Hospital, April 4-August 22. Juried into the show by the Hospital Director were my pastels, "A Pretty Dress," "Home Music," and "An Old Settler."

2016 "PSWC 2016 Online Membership Exhibition," This Pastel Society of the West Coast Show, juried by Barbara Jaenicke, was viewed online February 10-March 10, including my pastels "Home Music," and "An Old Settler."

2015 "Greater Bay Area Open," Third Place ribbon for pastel "Kami," Peggy Kroll-Roberts juror, at this LGAA open juried show in the NUMU, New Museum Los Gatos, CA, August 1-30 

2015 "Painting The Golden State," SCOP Member Show, Pacific Grove Art Center, Jan 9 - Feb 26

2014 "Art In The Council Chambers," LGAA Member Juried Show, Los Gatos Town Hall Council Chambers, Aug-Oct

2014  Gilroy Gardens Gallery, June through July 29, 2014, inside Red Barn Gifts, three pieces of my work

2014 "Los Gatos Art Walk," last Thursday of the month, Featured Artist at Harvest Furniture, Downtown, Los Gatos

2014 "Landscapes, A Sentimental Journey," Featured Artist/April, Gallery of Dreams, Campbell

2014 "Salon 2014," Backwater Arts, San Jose

2013 "Landscapes, Seascapes & Urbanscapes," Pacific Art League Juried Show, October, Palo Alto

2013 "LGAA Spring Member Juried Show, Rose Shenson Gallery, Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara       

2013 "Let's Look at Art/SJMA Docent Art Show," San Jose Museum of Art, Wendel Center

2012 "LGAA Fall Member Juried Show," Jewish Community Center, Los Gatos

2012 "LGAA Spring Member Juried Show," Rose Shenson Gallery, Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara

2011 "Midsummer Art Celebration," Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara

2010 "Fresh Paint," Los Gatos Art in the Council Chambers, Los Gatos

2010 "LGAA Plein Air Artists," Main Street Cafe and Books, Los Altos

2010 "Etch, Sketch, Stroke," Los Gatos Plein Air Painters Exhibition, The Art Museum of Los Gatos

2010 "Abstractions--in perception or reality," Honorable Mention for 8"x10" Photograph Modern Scrolls, Pacific Art League, Palo Alto Juried Exhibition. Image also selected for reception postcard graphic.

2009 "Silver Mountain Vineyards," Group Tasting Room Exhibit, Santa Cruz Mountains

2009 "Los Gatos Art Association Member Juried Show '09," The Art Museum of Los Gatos

2009 "Vine To Wine," Forbes Mill History Museum, Los Gatos

2009 "Six LGAA Artists Exhibit," Health and Wellness Spa, San Jose

2009 "Vintners Festival/LGAA Plein-Air Painters," Black Ridge Winery, Los Gatos

2009 "14 Plein Air Artists, A Tribute to Nick White," Main Street Cafe and Books, Los Altos

2009 "Touch My Heart," The Art Museum of Los Gatos

2008 "A Breath of Plein Air," Leonard and David McKay Gallery, San Jose 

Affiliations

2016-2026 Gallery 9, Los Altos, I was juried into this co-op gallery on February 1, 2016          

2015-2026 Pastel Society of the West Coast

2024-2026 "Art Docents of Los Gatos," taking art education into the classroom.

2010-2026 Member, Santa Cruz Oil Painters, Santa Cruz, CA

2010-2026 Member, Los Gatos Art Association, Los Gatos, CA