By ROBIN STANTON GERROW
BG Independent News
The distance between Bowling Green and Toledo might not be far, but the distance from art school to a solo show in a nationally recognized museum can feel immense.
Hannah Bowlus managed to cover that span in just two years.
Her exhibit, “Origin Point,” opens with a reception in the Community Gallery in the Glass Pavilion of the Toledo Museum of Art on Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
After graduating from Bowling Green High School, Bowlus went on to Bowling Green State University and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2024.
“It was really cool being at BGSU at that time because the department was transitioning from more traditional sculpture techniques like stone carving, to a more integrated prototyping and design studio,” she said. “There were a lot more digital tools and machinery like 3D printing and computer programs available. Because of that I was able to get a design and fabrication job right out of art school.”
Through her 3D sculptures and designs, Bowlus wants to connect objects which share common geometric origins—the cube and the sphere.
“Half of the work is from my time at BGSU up until now,” Bowlus said. “The work spans the past five years or so. The other half of the show is new work that I’ve made specifically for this show. Having it all in the same room, seeing it all work together and being able to make the connections between them is awesome. All the work was something that I was doing subconsciously for a while, but it feels like it’s a part of this same family in terms of what shapes are being used, what forms and materials are being used.”
Bowlus said she finds beauty and balance in the geometry of the shapes.
“All of this work is based on using the circle and the square as the starting point for the design and is the origin point, if you will, for the design process and for the inspiration,” she said. “It’s ruminating on the idea of these shapes together and separately and what they can do together. I’m really sitting down with an idea and taking it as far as I can go. It’s about the progression of me learning how to work with different materials and how to build things.”
Bowlus isn’t taking this opportunity for granted.
“It’s very intimidating and I can’t believe they trusted me with this opportunity. I put in hard work to earn it, but I also know that it’s due to a lot of other people in the community putting in a good word for me and I really appreciate that in my relationships here.”
Bowlus counts herself lucky to be working in a creative capacity at 2-Scale, a company in Holland, Ohio, that builds exhibits and displays.
“I joined at a time when Adam Sanzenbacker and Steve Williams, artists in their own right, were partnering with 2-Scale to taking on more projects, specifically making work for artists who hire fabricators,” she said. “Now, I help make work for other artists, as well as the Toledo Museum of Art, and trade show booths. I get to do a lot of work in a multimedia environment like sewing and I still blow glass. Because I work here, I also have access to studio tools to continue my personal work, as well. I’ve been able to keep up my personal practice and have a job that keeps me stable, so I feel very grateful.”
“Opportunities are going to come up with this show and I’m really excited to see where that takes me,” Bowlus said.
