"I have always been fascinated by the portrait styles of the old masters. The way the light and the dark are united to create depth and atmosphere. I wanted to take that style and apply it to my ranch life photography, adding a painterly touch to create a unique and etherial experience. I expanded on that idea and began photographing my favorite ranch cows wearing hats from my vintage hat collection, creating my first fine art series called Cows in Hats. My works have since expanded to include fine art painterly pieces featuring calves in chairs, horses and scenes from our western way of life. I love creating photographic artwork that people can identify with; artwork that offers classic beauty in a unique way."

About the Artist
Audrey (Koehler) Powles was raised on a farm in south central Nebraska, USA. Growing up around livestock and having a love of the outdoors, she has always found beauty in the everyday rustic. Audrey is a self-taught photographer; she was introduced to photography by her best friend, and the ability to express her creativity through the lens would quickly become a passion. Audrey now lives and works along side her husband Bryon on a cattle ranch in the Sandhills region of western Nebraska; the ranch has been in her husband’s family for over 100 years.
Along with ranch life, Audrey captures weddings and portraits. In her spare time she enjoys painting with acrylic and watercolor.
Audrey gives all the glory to God for her abilities and creativity, and is so thankful for the endless support and healthy nudges from her husband, family, and closest friends.

The Cows
Audrey and her husband Bryon take pride in their herd of gentle cows. The girls on Powles Ranch are Gelbvieh and Angus cross cattle, and the Balancer breed is known for their docility. Along with being easy going, Powles Ranch cattle raise nice babies and are wonderful mothers. Having extra special cows is just a bonus of the job, and they make everyday life on the ranch more enjoyable. Whenever there's a rough day, a good cow hug will almost always make it better. (In the photo is Audrey with Lulu and Lucy). Audrey has also added a few new friends to the commercial cow herd. Stay tuned for adventures with the mini cows - Ruby, Rosie, Tilly, Cookie, and Spunky Gus.
The Vision
Nicknamed the “cow whisperer” by her family and friends, Audrey has found that her favorite photographic subjects are her cows; namely those with first names. Discovering that a favorite cow named Velma seemed content to wear a crown of wildflowers on her head, the Cows in Hats idea blossomed. Audrey began photographing her favorite cows wearing vintage ladies hats, finishing each piece with a painterly style edit. The Cows in Hats series is a work in progress, the vintage hat collection continues to grow, and new adventures and ideas are being created.



(With the exception of Flamingo Faye, only backdrops are added in Photoshop when needed. No hats are ever edited onto the cows; they are ALL truly wearing their hats. The baby calves are truly sitting in chairs.)
THE PROCESS
Audrey photographs many of her cows in a make-shift studio she sets up in a barn on the ranch. Photos that aren’t taken in the barn studio are taken outdoors using a backdrop and portable studio lighting. When it’s not possible to use a backdrop due to wind or location, one is added to the photos later using Photoshop. Audrey then gives each photo a painterly touch utilizing the “dodge and burn” method and other minor digital photo editing techniques. The end goal is to create an image reminiscent of paintings by the old masters such as Rembrandt, Vermeer, and the like.

THE HATS
...and other props
The hat collection began when Audrey found a handful of vintage hats in her husband's grandparent's old house. It was a surprise find, considering the condition of the abandoned home. She has since added to the collection and has found hats in antique shops, garage sales; even receiving hats as gifts. The collection has grown in number, and the hope is to eventually do more research on the hats themselves.
The chairs and other props have all come from antique stores, garage sales, and have come in the form of gifts from family.

Exhibitions, Awards, Grants & Fellowships...
2022
- ProPrints Creative Photography Competition - Honorable Mention - Online Competition & Exhibition - Grant Award for continued works
- First place - Party til the Cows Come Home exhibition - Firefly Artist’s Studio, Northport, NY
- Category Winner - National Photography Show - Lincoln Gallery, Loveland, CO
- Honorable Mention - Fine Art Series - Julia Margaret Cameron Awards - Foto Nostrum Mediterranean House of
Photography, Barcelona, Spain
2023
- Honorable Mention - Fine Art Series - Pollux Awards - Foto Nostrum, Barcelona Spain
- Award in Excellence - BBAS Spring Show - Carnegie Arts Center, Alliance, NE
- First place - Photography Category - CAC 30th Anniversary Show - Carnegie Arts Center, Alliance, NE
- Honorable Mention - Photography Category - CAC 30th Anniversary Show - Carnegie Arts Center, Alliance, NE
- Honorable Mention - Persistence V - d’Art Center, Norfolk, VA
- Artistic Achievement Award - 29th National Photography Show - Louisville Art Association, Louisville, CO
- Certificate of Excellence - ANAC 58th Annual Exhibition - Association of Nebraska Art Clubs
- Honorable Mention - Fine Art Series - Julia Margaret Cameron Awards - Foto Nostrum Mediterranean House of
Photography, Barcelona Spain
- First place - Party til the Cows Come Home exhibition - Firefly Artist’s Studio, Northport, NY
2024
- Award in Excellence - BBAS Spring Show - Carnegie Arts Center, Alliance, NE
- Certificate of Excellence - ANAC 59th Annual Exhibition - Association of Nebraska Art Clubs
- 2nd Place - Photography Division - Nebraskaland Days Competitive Art Exhibition - Prairie Arts Center, North Platte, NE
- Benefactor Award - 37th Annual Northern National Art Competition - Nicolet College Art Gallery, Rhinelander, WI
- Category Winner - Animals - 2024 Photography Biennial - Gallery 1516, Omaha, NE
- Best in Show - National Photography Show - Lincoln Gallery, Loveland, CO
- 1st and 3rd Place Adult Photography Category - Mullen Arts Center 10th Annual Open Art/Photo Show - Mullen Arts Center, Mullen NE
Publications
- Nebraska Life Magazine - July 2024 - “When Cows Wear Hats” 6-page feature featuring artist and works
Exhibitions
2022
- Party Til The Cows Come Home - Firefly Artist’s Studio, Northport, NY - Juried Group exhibition - Sept 10-25
- Texas State Photo Rodeo - Si Gallery, Austin, TX - Juried Group exhibition Sept 24 - Nov 20
- Glitz and Kitsch - Black Creek Arts, Hartsville, SC - Juried Group exhibition - Oct 6 - Nov 11
- National Photography Show - Lincoln Gallery, Loveland, CO - Juried Group Exhibition Nov 11 - Dec 2
- Beer and Bovine - Cheyenne Art Haus - Group exhibition - November 2022
- IPHF Photo Contest & Exhibition - International Photography Hall of Fame, St. Louis, MO - Juried Group Exhibition
Dec 7 - Feb 11, 2023
- Biafarin Awards - International online group exhibition - December 2022-January 2023
- 2022 Regional Photography Biennial - Gallery 1516, Omaha, NE - Juried Group exhibition - Nov 11 - January 29, 2023
2023
- Amazing Portraits, Human & Animal - MVA Gallery, Bethlehem, PA - Juried Group exhibition - Jan12 - Feb 11
- BBAS Spring Show - Carnegie Arts Center, Alliance, NE - Group exhibition - Feb 14 - March 18
- Altered Images - Center for Fine Art Photography - Virtual group exhibition - Feb 21-June 30
- Conceptual Photography Exhibition - D’art Gallery, Denver, CO - Juried Group exhibition - March 6 - April 9
- ArtAstonish Magazine - January 2023 Issue
- 30th Anniversary Show - Carnegie Arts Center, Alliance, NE - Group exhibition - March 22 - May 13
- BRILLIANCE - Art Fluent - Online Juried group exhibition
- Persistence V - d’Art Center, Norfolk, VA - Juried Group exhibition March 18 - April 11
- 25th Annual Rio Brazos Exhibition - Langdon Center, Granbury, TX - Juried Group exhibition - April 8 - 23
- Julia Margaret Cameron Awards - Foto Nostrum Mediterranean House of Photography - Barcelona, Spain - Group
exhibition - April - May
- 9th Annual National Photography Exhibition - DabArt Co. - Los Angeles, CA - Juried Group Exhibition - May 19 - July 31
- 29th National Juried Photography Show & Sale - Louisville Art Association, CO - Group Exhibition - May 26 - June 4
- ANAC 58th Annual Exhibition - Association of Nebraska Art Clubs - Juried Group Exhibition June 7-10
- FAVA’s Juried Biennial Photography Show - Firelands Association for the Visual Arts - Oberlin, OH - Juried Group Exhibition June 10 - August 13
- 2023 Regional Biennial - Gallery 1516, Omaha, NE - Juried Group Exhibition - September 8 - December 17
- Party Til The Cows Come Home - Firefly Artist’s Studio, Northport, NY - Juried Group exhibition - Sept 19-30
- 64 Arts - Buchanan Center - Monmouth, IL - Juried Group Exhibition September 19 - November 3
- 2nd Annual New Frontiers Art Show & Sale - Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum - Cheyenne, WY - Juried Group
Exhibition Nov 3 - Dec 3
- National Photography Show - Lincoln Gallery - Loveland, CO - Juried Group Exhibition -November 10 - November 30
2024
- GALEX 57 - National Fiine Art Contest/Exhibition - Galesburg Community Arts Center - Galesburg, IL - Juried Group
Exhibition March 9 - April 26
- PhotoSpiva - National Photography Competition & Exhibition - Spiva Center for the Arts - Joplin, MO - Juried Group
Exhibition March 18 - May 13
- CAL International - Intl Fine Art Competition/Exhibition - Madeley Fine Art Gallery - Conroe, TX - Juried Group Exhibition
March 5 - March 30
- 26th Annual Rio Brazos Exhibition - Langdon Center, Granbury, TX - Juried Group Exhibition April 6-21
- Mountain Plains Contemporary Art Biennial - Salina Art Center, Salina, KS - Juried Group Exhibition May 22-September 1
- Nebraskaland Days Competitive Art Exhibition - Prairie Arts Center, North Platte, NE - Juried Group Exhibition June 4-29
- 37th Annual Northern National Art Competition - Nicolet College Art Gallery - Rhinelander, WI - Juried Group Exhibition June 13-July 26
- TRAHC 2024 Adult Juried Exhibition - Regional Arts Center, Texarkana, TX - Group Exhibition June 21-August 10
- Audrey Powles - Cows in Hats and other photographic works - Solo Exhibition (47 works) - Carnegie Arts Center -
Alliance, Nebraska - July 2-August 17
- Party Til The Cows Come Home - Firefly Artist’s Studio, Northport, NY - Juried Group Exhibition September 1-30
- 2024 Regional Photography Biennial - Gallery 1516, Omaha, Nebraska - Juried Group Exhibition October 2-December 15
- National Photography Show - Lincoln Gallery - Loveland, CO - Juried Group Exhibition - November 8 - December 5
- 10th Annual Open Art & Photo Show - Mullen Arts Center, Mullen, NE - Juried Group Exhibition - October-December
2025
- AVA 23rd Annual Art Matters Exhibition - AVA Community Art Center - Gillette, WY - Juried Group Exhibition - January