A local artist has left his mark on the community of Twin Lakes.

Geoff Mowery, 76, is a lifelong painter. His subjects are often reflections of wildlife and sports imagery. His work has notably been exhibited at the Cleveland Museum of Art, the San Francisco Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art. Three paintings were also selected by the Smithsonian Institution for display at the United States Embassy in Norway.

Mowery’s work has been seen on plaques, prints and at art exhibitions. His distinctions and achievements are numerous. Although his usual medium is egg tempera or oil on gesso board, he recently finished his work on a type of canvas that was completely new to him: concrete blocks.

While showing a mural commissioned by the leaders of the Twin Lakes community, Mowery reflected on his life and his art.

That was 1964. Mowery, who had spent most of his young life in Orange Village, Ohio, rode his motorcycle all the way to California to attend the Chouinard Art Institute. In the years that followed, it took on a new name and new life as the California Institute of the Arts.

About two and a half years after he started his time at the school, he said, three of his instructors took him to lunch. He first enrolled in school to pursue a career in commercial art. However, passionate about his fondness for the fine arts, Mowery’s teachers encouraged him to quit school and pursue his true passion.

“They said ‘we want you to go, go home and find a third job. You will know when you have your first show. “And I did that.” Mowery called back.

Mowery’s most recent work is a mural created for residents of Twin Lakes, a small community located between Kent and Streetsboro. Painted on the wall of a private beach pavilion, the wildlife, weather and scenery depicted are familiar to residents along West Lake. Considering that Mowery has been a member of this community for over a decade and spends much of his time admiring his wildlife, it’s easy to tell how his inspiration for mural painting came about.

Ann Winnen, a representative of the Twin Lakes Association, played a major role in coordinating the creation of the piece. She wanted to recruit a local artist to help beautify the community pavilion, she said. She immediately considered Mowery because her house (and her art) was visible from the lodge.

The commission was a donation, Winnen said, and not something the owners of Twin Lakes were billed for.

Just telling Mowery about his new mural shows just how much thought and time is spent planning his compositions. In addition to depicting authentic local wildlife, such as the great blue heron and osprey, Mowery also made sure that the perceived distance from where the lake meets the land was accurate in the mural. That way when the residents of Twin Lakes sit on the lodge’s picnic benches, the paint lines up perfectly. There is no perceived rupture between the painting and the edge of the lake.

Unexpected elements uniquely recognizable by residents of Twin Lakes also appear on the mural. A thong that got lost ended up on the board. Careful eyes can spot it in the part painted to resemble the bottom of the lake (cleverly located under some sinks).

Mowery lived much of his adult life in Bainbridge. After their children grew up, he and his wife moved to Twin Lakes. They lived in the house they built and designed together for three years before she died of cancer. He made her a promise to keep busy. It is a promise he continues to keep.

Not only is Mowery handy with a brush, but he’s a great guitarist. He also created a fly fishing tool called Grizzly Paw, an accessory for sportsmen who want to take hands-free videos of their catches.

Mowery still has a few other projects in the works. He also continues his favorite hobby: collecting old fishing lures.

The Twin Lakes mural is located on a property not open to the public. To view Geoff Mowery’s other paintings, visit his website, www.theshackstudio.com.

Mowery plans to host an art exhibit in the fall.