Carol Rauch
"Bouvs In Art."
Carol Rauch dove headlong into watercolor painting after retiring from a successful career as a marketing consultant to design professions. At the suggestion of a friend, she decided to copy paintings by famous artists and incorporate the likeness of a Bouvier in each one. Bouviers have been part of Carol's life for more than twenty years.
In addition to raising a number of these dogs herself (some from unfortunate beginnings,) Carol is also a longtime member of several National Bouvier de Flandres Associations. So, it seemed only natural to Carol for her to work with the imagery of this beloved animal.
Copying the work of the masters in this way gave her a lighthearted entry into what otherwise could have been an intimidating project. It was a great way to gain insight into the styles of past masters. This series "...became an obsession," she says. Her first painting quickly gave way to a second and then a third until she ended up with twenty finished pieces. "It was so much fun I had to force myself to stop."
"Sometimes the art world is too damn serious," says Gallery Saint Martin owner Monique Seyler, who serendipitously discovered Carol's watercolors. "Carol's work is obviously about fun. Even the titles are amusing. 'Waiting for Vincent,' for example, shows a trusty pet lying on the floor in front of the yellow bed in Vincent Van Gogh's iconic painting of his own bedroom. Then there's also 'Demoiselles de Bouvignon,' a tongue-in-cheek take on Picasso's 'Demoisselles d'Avignon.' "
Carol Rauch settled in Chestnut Hill after moving from her native Chicago to Philadelphia where she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in American Civilization. She lives in a home overlooking Cresheim Creek designed by her architect husband, John Rauch (also an accomplished artist who also began a successful painting career upon his retirement.)
In addition to the exhibit of original watercolors, archival prints and notecards of this series are also available. |
