Public Art Commissions

2017

  • Solar Totems, San Francisco Arts Commission for the Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center, San Francisco, CA

2011

  • Windswept, San Francisco Arts Commission for the Randal Museum, San Francisco, CA
  • Butterfly Wall, San Francisco Arts Commission for San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 2, San Francisco, CA

2006

  • Wave Wall, Science Education Center, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), Livingston LA (with Shawn Lani, Peter Richards and LIGO scientific staff)

Group Exhibitions

2007

  • Phenomenon, 2501 Bryant St., San Francisco, CA
  • Maker Faire, San Mateo, CA

2006

  • Reconsidered Materials, Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA

2001

  • Chain Reaction, Exploratorium
  • 1° Below Zero, Exploratorium

2000

  • Moth Light, Exploratorium
  • Chain Reaction, Exploratorium

Residencies

2005

Artist in Residence, with Shawn Lani at Materials Research Science
and Engineering Center, James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, IL 

2008

Art/Science Lab Residency, Deegan Nonlinear Science Laboratory, University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Awards

2007

Design Award, Wave Wall. New Orleans chapter American Institute of Architects (AIA).


Talks and Publications

2010

  • Sowers, C., Hesse-Honegger, C., Thys, T. (2010) Visualizing Science, Panel Discussion, Swissnex, San Francisco, CA

2007

  • Sowers, C. (2007) Delight, Wonder, and Curiosity: Engaging Visitors at the Exploratorium. Colloquium, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, CA
  • Sowers, C., Lani, S. (2006) Chasing Down Phenomena, guest lecturer for T. Humphrey’s San Francisco Art Institute Class, Science 110, Art and Phenomena

2006

  • Sowers, C. (2006) Exploring Emergence. Presentation at the 2006 Annual Workshop, Institute for Complex Adaptive Matter, Santa Fe, NM
  • Sowers, C., Lani, S. (2006) Chasing Down Phenomena, guest lecturer for T. Humphrey’s San Francisco Art Institute Class, Science 110, Art and Phenomena

2005

  • Sowers, C., Lani, S. (2005) Exploring Wonder, talk given at Chicago Materials Research Center, James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Hyde Park, IL
  • Sowers, C. (2005) Playing APE: Debating the Role of Play in an Inquiry Exhibit Development and Research Project, presentation as part of a workshop titled, Designing Exhibits for Exploratory Play, at The Bay Area Institute, Center for Informal Learning and Schools, San Francisco, CA
  • Sowers, C. (2005) Contributing author, Gutwill, Humphrey et. al., Fostering Active Prolonged Engagement: The Art of Creating APE Exhibits. San Francisco: Exploratorium. ISBN 0-943451-59-0
  • Sowers, C. (2005) Spinning Patterns: An APE Tale, ASTC Dimensions. Washington, DC: Association of Science and Technology Centers, November/December 2005.
  • Sowers, C. (2005) Shifting Authority. Presentation at Designing for Active Prolonged Engagement Exhibit Development Workshop, Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA

2004

  • Sowers, C. (2004) Thermal Impressions, in Orselli, P. (2004) Cheapbook 3: A Compendium of Inexpensive Exhibit Ideas. Washington, DC: Association of Science and Technology Centers

Professional Experience

1998-Present

Exhibit Developer, Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA

1995 –1998

Exhibit Director, Willamette Science and Technology Center (WISTEC), Eugene, OR. 

Education

Oberlin College, Oberlin OH. B.A. Anthropology