Dean BOWEN (1957 -) Born Maryborough, Victoria Dean Bowen's work combines humour and gentle irony with technical proficiency to explore the world around him. 'The car park epitomises qualities found in the best of his post 1990 work. Born out of the daily grind of stop-start commuting by car along Melbourne's Punt Road to and from his former workplace, the feeling of this large work (just over two metres long) is of duality. On the one hand there is the crowded chaos of a relentless number of cars choking the roads; on the other, order is imposed in his aerial view of cars 'parked' around intersecting roads as well as the actual charting of roads and interstitial spaces. Zooming in as though from above, cars are alternately cross-sectioned and flattened in outline. Despite his denial that there is nothing reminiscent of Aboriginal art in this work, to the onlooker there are quite a number of similarities. Not that he presumes anything of the Aboriginal experience or imagery (indeed, that it is unconscious is probably the only reason it works), such qualities are nevertheless present. The aerial perspective, for example, is so like the Aboriginal system of painting song lines and dreaming tracks from above. And as seen in the famous 'X ray' paintings of Arnhem Land, his cars and buildings are cross-sectioned to reveal the objects (usually humans) within. The impression of Aboriginally is further given by his use of earthy browns and by the outlining of shapes (cars, roads, trees).' (Susan McCulloch) This work was selected by the Art Acquisitions Committee (1995) to be placed in the 1870 Founders Hall at Mt Helen Campus. The Federation University Art Collection features over 2000 works and was listed as a 'Ballarat Treasure' in 2007.A multiprint etching depicting a carpark that won the 1994 Fremantle Print Award;Edition 12/20art, artwork, dean bowen, bowen, etching, multi-plate etching, printmaking, printmaking etching, carpark

Was purchased by the Nillumbik Shire Council after being a finalist in the 1997 Nillumbik Art awards. Small bronze sculpture of a short boy holding birds, both of different size, in each outstretched hand. He has a long thin (length-ways) head and a flat squat body.He is wearing a belt with eyelets holding up his stripy long sleeve shirt. His head and the birds are showing green patina, yet is less prominent on his body.On bottom boy's left foot, are the initials 'DB' the artist and '97'; the year created. On bottom of the right foot, '5/9' has been etched, indicating it is the fifth of nine pieces..1997, nillumbik art awards, dean, bowen, bird boy, birds, people, sculpture, bronze

Dean Bowen is renowned for his charming, child-like aesthetic and unique thematic interplay between the urban and rural as well as humans and animals. Bowen has developed a distinctive and humorous symbolic language that filters through each work. His highly charismatic and whimsical renderings of animals, human characters and Australian environments celebrate the vicissitudes of life, evincing the simple pleasures of human habitation within the artificial and the natural world. The work and thoughts of Jean Dubuffet, particularly those which focus on the philosophy of 'Art Brut', give support to Dean's belief that untrained artists are more honest, that artists interested in emulating the art of children are trying to regain the pure expression they lost with childhood. 'The Offering' was a finalist in the Nillumbik Art Awards in 1997. The work refers to the act of giving back, rather than taking which Bowen sees as more prevalent in our Western society. While the image is childlike, the expression of the boy is a mixture of sadness and happiness, knowing and naivety, youth and age. The smile has a Mona Lisa quality and the earthy and sensuous colours suggest landscape. When realising the images he relies on memory rather than observation so that the struggle with drawing and representation sometimes doesn't work. The style of the drawing and the flat space relates to the graphic style of cartoons and caricature. The intuitive and the imaginative are essential elements in his work. lower right 'Dean Bowen '97'

Bronze statue of 2 children on concrete plinth.1908 - 2008/This Centennial Sculpture, symbolising friendship,/was created to commemorate the first 100 years/of canterbury Primary School - 1908 - 2008./Unveiled by/Lady Southey A.C./on/23rd October, 2008/Sculptor: Dean Bowenstatue, canterbury

“The Cat has been an important and ongoing subject in my work for a number of years. As the Community Centre is surrounded by three schools, my aim was to make a sculpture that would engage and speak to one of the main users of the building, the children. My humorous and oversized interpretation of the cat draws inspiration from ancient Egyptian art as well as childhood and adult memories of many amusing encounters with these thought provoking creatures”. Dean Bowen public art, sculpture, australian sculpture

1. Pride awards for dedication, The Advertiser, Tuesday, July 2, 1996, p4 2. Pride awards for dedication, The Advertiser, Tuesday, July 2, 1996, p4 3. Local Rotarians in PNG, The Advertiser, Tuesday, September 24, 1996, p3 ; also "Allan, this is your life. On reverse side, lettes to the editor from Sigmund Jorgensen about the sale and planned redevelopment of the Shire of Eltham office site at 895 Main Road 4. Research youth escapes Japan quake, The Advertiser, January 24, 1995 895 main road, dallas price, eltham gateway action group, eltham shire offices, john lordon, nillumbik shire council, sigmund jorgensen, courtesy and kindness award, diamond creek baseball club, diamond creek fire brigade, diamond creek primary school, diamond valley progress association, eddie galea, eltham rotary, ern wardell, geoff swan, graeme hardiman, greensborough apex, greensborough lions, hadden schoble, hurstbridge bowling club, jim leigh, lyn gunning, mike dunlop, mike hall, rotary club of diamond creek, sgt chris mcintyre, snr cnst allan benney, victoria police, pride of workmanship award, dean o'callaghan, david bowen, district youth exchange committee, gordon wright