ABOUT THE BOWER FAMILY
The Bowers love to design and craft all kinds of things. Creativity is the boredom-buster at the Bower home. Gary & Jan have been married 40 years and have 12 creative children, ranging in age from 39 to 15. Many of their 25 grandkids have posed for illustrations in their picture books.
DRAWING & PAINTING Jan Bower is a busy mom who draws & paints with purpose. She knows the power of beautiful art to draw readers into a story. She excels at teaching budding artists how to create realistic renderings that touch the heart, using pencil, charcoal, colored pencil & oil paints. Currently, Jan is illustrating a new book while remaining very busy teaching art classes for adults and kids in her studio. If you live in Northwest Lower Michigan and would like to improve your painting skills in a pleasant environment, you can learn more by clicking here.
WRITING & EDITING
Gary Bower is an adoring dad who strives to write books that have appeal both to children and grown-ups. He says, "A book that is relevant to a wide range of age levels offers a way for parents to springboard into natural conversations with their kids." Gary has written over 25 books, and recently completed his first novel, a Christian fantasy for young adults BowerArts is the umbrella name of the Bower family's business / ministry. We are a business in structure, a ministry at heart. BowerArts encompasses everything that is creative about us, including our web presence, publishing enterprises, art studio, and private dance studio. BowerArts also promotes the various creative and independent businesses privately owned and operated by Gary & Jan Bower's children.
Bower Family Books is the retail division of Gary & Jan Bower's business by which they sell books to the general public at various shows and other events. Though we don't have an actual brick and mortar store with regular hours for the public, we welcome people to call ahead and make arrangements for picking up books at our home studios Mon.-Sat. Storybook Meadow Publishing is the name and imprint of Gary & Jan Bower's publishing company by which they write, edit, design, publish, and distribute their own books. Their home studios are on a piece of Jan's parents' family homestead. Gary & Jan built their home in 1990 and added our studios in 2006. 
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Gary & Jan with their whole clan at their annual family camp, August 25, 2018.
CLOCKMAKING & ENGRAVING
Nathan & Jennifer Bower and their amazing clock gallery feature Nathan's national award-winning handcrafted clocks and Jenny's exquisite hand-engraved jewelry. 
SOAPMAKING
Austin & Bethany Bower are Bee Joyful Soap Company, creating fragrant all-natural skin care products in their home. Their beeswax soaps, balms, & salves are wonderful! 
COMPOSING
Our daughter, Jasmine Bower (24) enjoys composing original tunes & variations of songs in the public domain. Some of her music can be heard on our videos. 
SINGING, DANCING & ACTING
Young people (ages 9-24) perform with G.U.S.T.O. (God Using Students to Tell Others) in a summer and winter show each year, using well-known oldies and show tunes with an added spiritual twist. Jasmine Bower directs and arranges, while Tynae Bower choreographs the routines. 
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