Madison Cowan is a professional artist, educator, and special needs advocate. After nearly a decade of developing her creative practice, she founded Madison Cowan Studio in 2024 with a mission to create equitable access to the arts for individuals with physical and cognitive exceptionalities.
Working across oil painting, printmaking, illustration, and photography, Madison’s art explores impressionism, environmental awareness, and the relationship between urban and rural landscapes. Experiencing life with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and ADHD, she believes these experiences are foundational to her creativity and lifelong learning - not limitations. Through teaching, advocacy, and community-building, Madison champions art as a powerful, barrier-free tool for growth, connection, and purpose.
Meet Madison
CURRICULUM VITAE
EDUCATION
Westmont College, Bachelors in Studio Art
The Tony Askew Award Recipient
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
November 2024 - 2025 | Tlo Wines | Bakersfield, CA
May - June 2018 | In Transition | Salon Patine, Santa Barbara, CA
February 2017 | Manifesto | Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA
COLLECTION RELEASES
March 2022 | Navigating Home | photography
August 2021 | The Summer Collection | oil on canvas series
October 2020 | IUCN Red List Project | ink on paper
GROUP EXHIBITIONS & COLLABORATIONS
October - September 2025 | Halloween Art Show | Top Hat Art Collective | Bakersfield, CA
June - August 2025 | Endless Summer | Top Hat Art Collective | Bakersfield, CA
March - April 2025 | Through Orange Eyes | Kern Creatives & Top Hat Art Collective | Bakersfield, CA
February - April 2025 | The Plein Air Club Art Showcase | Three Door Studios | Bakersfield, CA
November - January 2025 | Contemporary Women’s Art Show | Arts Council of Kern | Bakersfield, CA
November 2024 | Art Heist | Tlo Wines | Bakersfield, CA
October 2024 | Inkspiration, Bubble Pop Gallery | Three Door Studios | Bakersfield, CA
June 2024 | The Dreamshop | Three Door Studios | Bakersfield, CA
June - July 2024 | Western Show Down | Top Hat Art Collective | Bakersfield, CA
March 2021 | Legacy Christian Academy Art Exhibition | Bakersfield, CA
August - November 2019 | World Records Concert Hall | World Records, Bakersfield, CA
May - August 2019 | The Sublime: 2019 Visual Arts Festival | The Bakersfield Museum of Art, Bakersfield, CA
May 2019 | Legacy Christian Academy Art Exhibition | Bakersfield, CA
April - May 2019 | Open | Close | Senior Art Capstone Exhibition | Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA
November 2018 | Trophy Hunt | Ft. guest artist Sahara Barrett | Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA.
April 2017 | Night | Sophomore Exhibition | Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA
PUBLICATIONS & CLIENT WORK
October - January 2026 | Skidmore Commission | Portrait, oil on canvas
May - August 2025 | Hay Commission | Diptyck, oil on canvas
December 2024 | Cowan Commission | Diptyck, oil on canvas
October 2023 - Current | Abide, Capitol Campaign Case Study | Magazine design and publication, Legacy Christian Academy
March 2022 | Navigating Home, photography book
Winter 2021 | Disciple, Volume 1, Issue 2 | Artist Faculty Feature | Magazine design and publication, Legacy Christian Academy
Summer 2020 | Barker Commission | Portrait, oil on canvas
November 2019 - April 2020 | Beyond the Pond and Back, Book 2 of the It Takes a Pond Series, written by G.S. Chambers | Illustrations
Winter 2020 | Disciple, Volume 1, Issue 1 | Magazine design and publication, Legacy Christian Academy
July 2019 - Dec 2019 | Tadpoles on the Loose, Book 1 of the It Takes a Pond Series, written by G.S. Chambers | Illustrations
2019 | Westmont College Phoenix Magazine, Ed. 59 | Orange, oil on canvas
2019 | Westmont College Horizon Newspaper, Artist of the Week Ed.
2018 | Westmont College Phoenix Magazine | Amen, oil on canvas; Eclipse, oil on canvas
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
July 2021 | NAUMS Conference: Sustaining Growth in Marketing | Dallas, Texas
November 2020 | YWAM Creative Nights | Prague, Czech Republic
July 2019 | NAUMS Conference | Dallas, Texas
TEACHING RESIDENCY
2019 - Present | Legacy Christian Academy | High School Art Instruction
WORKSHOPS
November - December 2025 | Three Door Studios Handmade Holiday Series
July 2025 | Three Door Studios Creative Reset
June 2025 | Three Door Studios Dreamshop
June 2025 | The Painter’s Workshop
March 2025 | Three Door Studios Dreamshop
January - March 2024 | Hosting Young Creatives Workshops
April 2022 | Arts Council of Kern, Plein Air Festival
June 2019 | Hosted Summer Student Workshop
June 2018 | Hosted Summer Student Workshop