COLUMBIA, Mo. – As a young child, Russia native Chloe McEldowney discovered a desire to create. That desire has now evolved into a love of fine art that her parents and family members fostered. Many of her teachers offered her encouragement as well.
The 2010 Russia High School graduate, her husband, Daniel Smart, and two cats, now reside in Missouri following her artistic dreams. Smart is originally from Illinois. He and McEldowney met while students at UD.
“I would fill sketchbooks with stories and illustrations. My grandma taught me how to crochet, so I’d crochet clothes. I’d build houses out of scraps of wood from our barn. I always loved creating. It’s just something I always needed to do. When I was a little older, my mom would buy me sketch books, then once I got to school I started painting or using other materials,” McEldowney recalled.
McEldowney credits her upbringing with the focus of her art. Living in a rural area afforded her the time to explore art without interruption. Her parents, Craig and Connie McEldowney opened their home to many people in need. This allowed her to meet many people with many different backgrounds. These people later made their way into her paintings.
“Being one of eight children, that was the one thing I had that was mine. My family would always have people coming and living with us, especially young teen mothers, or whoever needed a place to stay. Growing up in that environment, I was always very influenced by where people came from, where they were going, their past experiences, how the dealt with things. I think growing up around a lot of different people with different backgrounds has influenced my desire to portray people in my art,” said McEldowney.
McEldowney earned a Fine Arts degree from the University of Dayton in 2014. While at UD, McEldowney was awarded The Yeck College Artist Fellowship from the Dayton Art Institute. She earned several awards and was a finalist in the Excellence in Visual Arts Awards by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio during her senior year.
While at UD McEldowney credits a wonderful faculty for helping her to grow as an artist.
“At UD, all my instructors were fabulous and encouraging. One professor, Jennifer Rosengarten, taught me painting, drawing. She knows everything there is about painting and color, and she genuinely cares about her students. Even now, she will lend me art books or take me on studio visits. Anytime I question my work, she will hold special critiques for me,” said McEldowney.
After graduating, McEldowney became an Artist-in-residence at the Prairie Center of the Arts in Peoria, Illinois. While there, she also instructed students in print making.
When Smart’s job relocated them to Columbia, Missouri, McEldowney landed an Artist-in-Residence post at Access Arts in Columbia, where she also spends time in the classroom.
“I love seeing the students get excited about art. Some of the younger students will be very drawn to technology or TV or whatever, so getting them out and creating something and using their imagination, I hope I accomplish that. Getting the adults to try something they didn’t know they could do and finding that interest is really inspiring to me as well,” said an enthused McEldowney.
She has exhibited her art across the country from as far away as California to right here at Gateway Art Council. She remains involved in the Ohio art scene and returns to visit friends and family.
She intends to continue painting and learning and creating. She hopes that her paintings will help people to feel and to engage in dialog about larger things.
“Color is something I’ll probably be still discovering 20 years from now. The interesting thing for me — I’ve always been drawn to color — is it’s challenging, and I like being challenged. First and foremost, I will keep creating work. That’s something that’s necessary. It’s just who I am.”
