M Cowsert

Born and raised in Sherman, Texas, I, Monica Minshew Cowsert was always a part of the arts in one form or another. My earlier years were spent studying music and I learned to play the harp at a young age and played through my years at Texas Christian University. During my time at TCU, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Vienna, Austria and there really came to appreciate art and art history and take classes that would put you in front of the most famous paintings and learn the stories behind the people who painted them. Traveling around Europe was a feast for an artists’ eye. But…I was not an artist.

Following college, I opened a retail store in Sherman called Hennigans Outfitters and was able to see creations firsthand at the World Trade Center, get a feel for business and marketing, and meet amazing people in the process. During that time, I took a sabbatical to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for a summer to study photography and spanish, and ended up in private art lessons there. I remember tracking the artist from a local gallery down and talking her into the lessons, and she gave me the basics for getting started in art. But…I was not an artist.

I married my first husband (he hates when I say that), Kent, and we moved to the Chicago area and started our family. Texas called us back and we have settled in Dallas. With the kids needing less of me, I decided to take a few art classes from local artist Marianne Gargour. She was not only an amazing teacher, but also a great encourager. Those few classes ended up lasting a few years and I decided to stop saying I was not an artist and just see where the journey took me. 

So…I am an artist.