The Hartford MFA program requires me to write three papers. They're for Murray's history of Illustration course. I am writing about Joe Bowler this week. I am finding myself becoming almost obsessed with his work. I wish I could meet him in person sometime. He combines what is best in illustration with what is best in portraiture. What a life he has led, what an amazing body of work.
Here are a few facts about Joe:
Born in Forest Hills, NY in 1928, Joe wanted to become an illustrator at an early age. His high school had a discussion about different career paths one could take. The top money earner on the list provided by the school was illustrator, ahead of doctors and lawyers. It said an illustrator got paid $100.000. That was an unheard of sum of money back then, probably only earned by Rockwell. But no matter, Joe's dad was on board with his dream of an art career after seeing that list.
Joe got his start as an apprentice at Charles E. Cooper studios. He was 19 when famous illustrator Coby Whitmore took one of his paintings along while he delivered a finished commission to Cosmopolitan magazine. The magazine bought Joe's picture on the spot and paid him $1,000. That was a lot of money in 1958.
Joe had work in five major magazines within six months.
In the midst of his success in 1958, Joe contracted polio. The disease left him almost completely paralyzed. He underwent intense physical therapy and was painting from a wheelchair within a few months. His recovery took seven years.
He went on to paint romantic illustrations for all of the major women's magazines of the day. A lot of the work he was asked to do began to trend toward portraiture, especially celebrities. In the mid-sixties, he pitched a series of sketches for McCalls Christmas issue. It was titled The Fine Art Of Fashion For Little Girls. They liked the idea and gave him an eight page spread. After the work appeared, Bowler began to get requests for portraits from all over the country. His portraiture career had begun.
Joe uses his experience as an illustrator to make his paintings more than standard portraits. This is why his work is in such demand today.
On a side note, the red McCalls cover has a story about a woman who regrets adopting her demon children. She wonders if she can ever learn to love them. Does anyone have that issue? I wonder if she did or if she gave them back.
