While it is understood for chefs to be lauded for their creative acumen, in the case of chef Kenny Bowers, the title of artist is one he is striving for with countless hours of work in front of a canvas.
When COVID shut down much of the world, Bowers, an acclaimed chef, found himself at home like many others. With a propensity for hands-on experiences, Bowers found this particularly challenging. A friend and mentor who happened to be an artist encouraged Bowers to try painting.
What first began as a therapeutic outlet became much more. Bowers found the limitless possibilities and creative release of painting to be similarly liberating to creating in the kitchen. As he became more confident in his craft, Bowers began to show his work to friends. When one recommended he began selling his pieces, Bowers was inspired to use his passion for art to help others.
He began by hanging a small collection of work at Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill, the restaurant group’s flagship, and selling those paintings via direct donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. To date, Bowers has sold more than 250 paintings and has raised more than $56,000 for the children at St. Jude.
Bowers also recently hosted an art show sharing his work approximately 50 pieces with fans at Kenny’s Italian
Kitchen, where 100% of sales at the event were directly donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Bowers finds inspiration from many areas, including symbolism in everyday things and the full range of human emotions.
“I love butterflies, for example. They are beautiful, of course, but what really resonates with me is the painful, scary metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly, symbolizing transformation and new beginnings,” Bowers said. “I use color, gestural marks and a variety of tools and media to express these things mostly in an abstract way. It’s not about perfection but about real and raw freedom of expression. I prefer to paint quickly and spontaneously, translating feelings to the canvas, eliminating any opportunities for second thoughts or regrets.”
Erin is a writer and graphic designer based in Dallas, Texas. She comes from a real estate and property management background, and now works with an array of clients putting together blogs, newsletters, and marketing material. In her free time, she loves cooking, working out, and playing video games.