About Rowan

I was born in the beautiful village of Woodchurch near Ashford in Kent in 1952, one of nine children. I am a mainly self-taught artist but I gratefully acknowledge the encouragement and support given to me by many professional artists in my formative years. Chiefly amongst them was the late Karen Ray, who was an inspirational painter and teacher, and the late John Titchell R.A. who became a close friend and mentor and who taught me above all the discipline of work.

I started exhibiting work in London in 1979, where all four of my paintings were selected for the ‘Britain in Watercolour’ exhibition held at the Mall Galleries. I had more success in London and exhibited work with the Royal Institute of Watercolour painters (R.I), the Royal Institute of Oil painters (R.O.I.) and the New English Art Club (N.E.A.C.). In 1987 I was elected a Member of the Royal Society of British Artists (R.B.A.). In 2013 I was elected a member of the elite London based Wapping Group of artists whose remit is to record the working life of London and the river Thames.

I have been honoured to receive several awards for my paintings from the R.B.A. In 2012 I received the ‘Edward Wesson’ prize for watercolour, I was given ‘The Artist Magazine’ award 2013 and in the same year I was honoured by the R.B.A. with their most prestigious honour ‘The de Laszlo Medal’. Then in 2016 received the ‘Michael Harding’ award for painting.

I have exhibited widely in both group and solo exhibitions, my work is now held in both public and private collections.

For many years I served on the council of the R.B.A. latterly becoming Membership Secretary.

My paintings are a personal quest for an understanding of visual reality which is inspired by the beauty and complexity of the natural world which has always fascinated me. I believe that honesty, integrity and sincerity are the prerequisites of any good painter and that the search for truth is all to me.