Being able to live and work outside a metropolitan area is an advantage chosen by April, her husband and two resident cats. The small mountain town of Pine Arizona serves as home base and studio for their varied artistic careers.
While earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, her jewelry work was experimental and creative in silver. After teaching silversmithing and then apprenticing in fine jewelry and working exclusively in gold, diamonds and faceted stones for 18 years, she now finds that she has come full circle, back to the fun, creative, silver, adding copper to the designs.
As a metal artist and watercolorist, Bower has discovered a way to meld these two seemingly opposing facets of her artistic expression. By painting with reactive chemicals on copper, wonderful freeform and expressive panels can be created. Arranging these in multiples adds yet another dimension.
This combination was developed after observing the many variations in color of the “green” patina she used on her copper fountain leaves. Also having experimented with “boxes” and “crinkled paper” with watercolor painting, the two seemed not so dissimilar. As a result, Patina Painting on copper was born.
Patina is an oxidation that forms on metal, (like rust) due to exposure to the elements & time. Different colors are due to exposure to particular chemicals. The images are created on copper, by attempting to control these chemicals & oxides. Styles range from freeform and fold form, to abstract landscapes.

April Can be reached at (928) 978 5533 or suma@mindspring.com