Overshadowed in the canon of American Modernism, Russell Cowles was a painter’s painter—beloved by fellow artists and critics, yet rarely a household name.
Discover more about Cowles in this 20-page illustrated zine, part of the Artist’s Artist series. Trace his journey from the Iowa plains to the Art Students League in New York and the studios of Paris, his transformative encounter with the 1913 Armory Show, and his lifelong search for balance between classical form and modern abstraction.
Cowles traveled extensively, sketching and studying across Asia, Europe, and the American Southwest. He developed a refined yet fluid style—deeply rooted in nature, composition, and a sense of timelessness. Though often categorized outside the mainstream, his work is held in major museum collections across the country—even if it’s not always on display.
Russell Cowles was also my great-uncle. This zine is part of my ongoing exploration into a lineage of family creatives and the ways their stories ripple forward. Through personal research, family letters, and time in the archives, I’ve come to see Cowles not just as a distant relative, but as a quiet force whose life in art continues to inspire.
Limited edition. Limited quantities.
Overshadowed in the canon of American Modernism, Russell Cowles was a painter’s painter—beloved by fellow artists and critics, yet rarely a household name.
Discover more about Cowles in this 20-page illustrated zine, part of the Artist’s Artist series. Trace his journey from the Iowa plains to the Art Students League in New York and the studios of Paris, his transformative encounter with the 1913 Armory Show, and his lifelong search for balance between classical form and modern abstraction.
Cowles traveled extensively, sketching and studying across Asia, Europe, and the American Southwest. He developed a refined yet fluid style—deeply rooted in nature, composition, and a sense of timelessness. Though often categorized outside the mainstream, his work is held in major museum collections across the country—even if it’s not always on display.
Russell Cowles was also my great-uncle. This zine is part of my ongoing exploration into a lineage of family creatives and the ways their stories ripple forward. Through personal research, family letters, and time in the archives, I’ve come to see Cowles not just as a distant relative, but as a quiet force whose life in art continues to inspire.
Limited edition. Limited quantities.