At the end of the summer of 1831 Bowman moved to Québec taking the Fenwick and Moffatt portraits with him.
This introduction to the Québec nuns obviously provided the opportunity for him to teach painting to both the nuns and pupils in the Canadian Ursuline convent and school.
In Québec he was able to support himself painting portraits and religious paintings for a while despite competition from the conservative and hot-tempered Canadian portrait painter, Antoine Plamondon who considered Québechis own territory.
In 1833 Bowman moved to Montreal where he had commissions for several paintings for the Notre Dame church there.
However he left suddenly in 1834 and settled in Toronto where he painted portraits.

Bowman had two artist friends while in Toronto—Samuel Bell Waugh (1814-1855) also from Mercer, Pennsylvania and Paul Kane (1810-1871), a Canadian artist.
Bowman and Waugh agreed to study together in Italy at some future date.
According to the Patriot (December 5, 1834) Bowman and Waugh planned to go to Rome in the spring of 1835 where Bowman was to deliver the Chapel of Indian Church of Two Mountains painting to the Pope, but instead Bowman moved to Detroit.
In late 1836 Kane also went to Detroit and was disappointed to find the trip to Rome cancelled due to Bowman's marriage.
At the end of the summer of 1831 Bowman moved to Québec taking the Fenwick and Moffatt portraits with him. This introduction to the Québec nuns obviously provided the opportunity for him to teach painting to both the nuns and pupils in the Canadian Ursuline convent and school. In Québec he was able to support himself painting portraits and religious paintings for a while despite competition from the conservative and hot-tempered Canadian portrait painter, Antoine Plamondon who considered Québechis own territory. In 1833 Bowman moved to Montreal where he had commissions for several paintings for the Notre Dame church there. However he left suddenly in 1834 and settled in Toronto where he painted portraits.
Bowman had two artist friends while in Toronto—Samuel Bell Waugh (1814-1855) also from Mercer, Pennsylvania and Paul Kane (1810-1871), a Canadian artist. Bowman and Waugh agreed to study together in Italy at some future date. According to the Patriot (December 5, 1834) Bowman and Waugh planned to go to Rome in the spring of 1835 where Bowman was to deliver the Chapel of Indian Church of Two Mountains painting to the Pope, but instead Bowman moved to Detroit. In late 1836 Kane also went to Detroit and was disappointed to find the trip to Rome cancelled due to Bowman's marriage.
James Bowman (painter)