www.ToryCowles.com

torycowles@comcast.net

240 793-5425 

 

Background: Carpenter, woodworker, stonewall builder, interior decorator, representational painter.  30 years as an abstract painter, sculptor and art installation builder.

Education:  BA - Bennington College

Instructor of Abstract Expressionism: Yellow Barn, Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MD

Represented by Touchstone Gallery, Washington, DC

Awards

2011 - Torpedo Factory Artist of the Year. Awarded solo show at the Target Gallery, Alexandria, VA. Jurried by Harry Cooper, Head of Modern and Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

2012 - Featured Artist at the Romany Kramoris Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY

2012 - Featured Artist at the Hill Center, Washington, DC

2015 - Adam Wishnow award for the most creative and innovative piece. Juried by Timothy App, artist and professor at MICA, Art League Gallery, Alexandria, VA.

2016 - Award given by Vesela Sretenovic, Senior Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art at the Phillips Collection. McLean Project for the Arts, “Strictly Painting” Show, McLean, VA

2016 - Invited to be the solo show artist for the grand opening of the Artists and Makers Studios Gallery, Rockville, MD

2018 - Award given by artist and curator Melissa Stern. “Material Matters”, Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

2018 - Award given by artist and curator Melissa Stern with image selected for cover of promotional material for the show “Pairings” at Plaxall Gallery, Long Island City, NY

2019 - Award given by juror John Cloud Kaiser. “Recycle” at the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

2020 - Awarded ‘Best in Show’ by Charlotta Kotik, Head of the Modern and Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum. “Art Over Time”, Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

Additional Shows

2025: * “Peculiar Matters” 3 Person Show. Brentwood Art Exchange, Brentwood, MD

* “Serendipity: A Dance Between Painting and Sculpture” Solo Show. Touchstone Gallery, Washington, DC

2024: * “Art in Abstraction” Martine Gallery, Annapolis, MD

* “Fiber Options” Circle Gallery, Annapolis, MD

2023: * “Leading Women Artists” Martha Spak Gallery. Washington, DC

* “Virtual Abstract Show” Digital show and talk by 4 abstract artists from Touchstone Gallery, Washington, DC

* “(Not) Strictly Painting” McLean Project for the Arts. McLean, VA

2022: * “Reflections: Fire on the Water” Solo sculpture show at Artists and Makers. Rockville Md.

*  “Juxtapositions”  Installation and dance collaboration with CityDance. BlackRock Center for the Arts, Germantown, MD

* “What a Relief” at the Phillips@TheARC. Juried by Nehemiah Dixon and Vesela Sretenoviuc from the Phillips Collection

 *  “Elements” Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition Gallery. Brooklyn, NY Juried by Scout Hutchinson, Whitney Museum Fellow

* “Sculture Now” Harmony Hall Gallery. Fort Washington MD

2021: * Touchstone Gallery, Washington, DC - Virtual Solo Show and Artist Talk

2019: * McLean Project for the Arts “Strictly Painting 12” Juried by Adah Rose Bitterbaum - McLean, VA

* BWAC Gallery “Wide Open” Juried by Ylinka Barotto - Assis. Curator at the Guggenheim - Red Hook, Brooklyn

* BWAC Gallery “Recycle” Juried by John Cloud Kaiser - Red Hook, Brooklyn. Given an award.

* Touchstone Gallery, “Hard Wired” - Solo Show: Installation with Dance - Washington, DC

* Plaxall Gallery - “Pairings” - Juried by Artist and Writer Nancy Gesimondo - Long Island City, NY

* Sense Gallery - “Quietly Powerful” - Juried by Artist Jenny Wu - Washington, D

2018:   * BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Gallery) Red Hook, Brooklyn. Three shows:

·     “Color” – Juried by Marcela Guerro – Assis. Curator at the Whitney Museum - 

·     “Recycle” – Juried by John Cloud Kaieser from Material for the Arts, a recycling center.

·     “Material Matters” – Juried by Artist and Journalist Melissa Stern - Given an award

* Serendipity Labs – “Abstract Artist Collective” – Bethesda, MD

* Solo Sculpture Show – Mosaic – Fairfax, VA

* Alexandria Art League – Landscape Show – Alexandria, VA

2017: * Strathmore Mansion Gallery – North Bethesda, MD –  “La Vie en Bleu” 

* McLean Project for the Arts– McLean, VA – “Sculpture Now 2017”

   *  Target Gallery – Alexandria, VA – “March 150”

   * Art League Gallery – Alexandria Va – March – Hon mention

   * Glen Echo Park – Glen Echo, MD– ”Sculpture REMIX 2017”

2016:  *  plan b Gallery – DC – Jan. – “Anniversary Show”

  * plan b Gallery – DC – March – “10” x 10” Show”

  * Delaplaine Arts Center – Frederick MD – “Outloud Show

2015: * Jerusalem Fund Gallery - “And We Have Countries”  - DC 

    * plan b Gallery - December Year End Exhibit

            * Art League Gallery – Alexandria VA - Large and Small Works

2013:  * Camp Rehobeth HeArt of the Community Auction - Rehobeth, DE  

           * Foundry Gallery - Washington, DC

            * Montpelier Arts Center - Laurel, MD

           * Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Center - "Alchemical Vessels" - DC

           * Hill Center - Capital Hill, Washington, DC

           * plan b Gallery - DC - 3 person Show

2012:   * NIH Main Lobby - Solo Show - Bethesda, MD

            * West Winsor Art Center - Princeton, NJ -

            * Ratner Museum - Bethesda MD

2011:   * Target Gallery – Solo Show – Torpedo Factory,  Alexandria, VA