John E. Dowell Jr. facts for kids

John Edward Dowell Jr., born in 1941, is an American artist. He is known for making prints, painting, and teaching art. He used to be a professor at the Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia.

Early Life and Art Education

John Dowell Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 25, 1941. He grew up in a housing project. As a child, he loved art. He and his brother would copy drawings from Lone Ranger comics.

When he was young, he took art classes. He studied at the Art Students' League of Philadelphia. Later, he went to the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. There, a ceramics artist named Rudolf Staffel helped him learn. John graduated from Tyler School of Art in 1963. He became very good at making prints. He learned more at the Tamarind Institute in Los Angeles, California. He even worked there as a senior printer.

Artistic Style and Influences

John Dowell's art is inspired by many things. He looks at the work of abstract expressionists. These are artists like Willem de Kooning, Philip Guston, and Jackson Pollock. Their art often uses colors and shapes to show feelings.

He is also inspired by jazz musicians. Artists like Miles Davis, Archie Shepp, and Cecil Taylor have influenced him. Dowell often creates art that looks like music. He makes abstract pictures of poetry and jazz. In the late 1980s, he explored traditional African spiritual beliefs. These beliefs influenced some of his artworks.

Exhibitions and Collections

Dowell's first art show was in 1968. It was at the Swope Art Museum. His paintings, ceramic pieces, and prints are shown in over 70 museums. He has had more than 50 solo exhibitions. This means his art was the only art shown.

He has also been part of many group shows. One was called "Philadelphia Teaches Printmaking." It was at Print Club in Philadelphia in 1978. His art is in many important collections. These include the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. His work is also at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

In 2015, Dowell's art was in a special show. It was called We Speak: Black Artists in Philadelphia, 1920s-1970s. This show was at the Woodmere Art Museum. John Dowell has won many awards for his art. He received the James Van Der Zee award. He also got grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.