Carol Rowan: Illuminating Life Through Color and Light

Carol Rowan, a native of Connecticut, was a celebrated artist known for her masterful use of color, light, and energy. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and a Master of Fine Arts from Cranbrook Academy of Art, she dedicated her life to creating art that captured the beauty of her surroundings.

Throughout her career, Rowan explored a range of subjects, including architecture, landscapes, harbor scenes, and portraits. Her artistic practice spanned large-scale drawings, oil paintings, gouaches, and prints, each reflecting her deep appreciation for the interplay of color and light. After retiring from teaching, she devoted over a decade exclusively to her art, drawing inspiration from the vibrant flower gardens and tranquil settings of her homes in Washington, D.C., and Nobleboro, Maine.

Rowan’s work was widely exhibited across the United States, with solo shows at esteemed galleries such as Alla Rogers Gallery in Washington, D.C., OK Harris and Hollis Taggart Galleries in New York City, Vose Contemporary in Boston, and Ovsey Gallery in Los Angeles. Her art was also featured in group exhibitions at prestigious venues including the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Gerald Peters Gallery in Santa Fe, Gallery Henoch in New York City, the Corcoran Museum of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and the Washington National Cathedral.

Throughout her career, Rowan received numerous accolades, including a grant from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and the Metropolitan Museum of Art Drawing Award at the National Arts Club in 1993. Her legacy lives on through her timeless works, celebrated for their vibrant color relationships, luminous presence, and emotional energy.