Rowan has lived in many different parts of New Zealand but chose to move to the East Coast from Auckland in 1994. He and his family moved there to re-evaluate and stayed. The lifestyle living by the Pacific in such a clement climate offered simplicity and more time to make Art. He has taught Art full time at the Girls' High school in Gisborne for 18 years.

"My Art practice advanced in 2010 when I graduated with MFA 1st. Class Hons from Whitecliffe School of Art and Design. Since then my work has continued as an ongoing thinking process" Projects supported blogs and research, have become second nature to Rowan and he greatly enjoys life as a practicing Artist as well as recording his processes to an online community.

Rowan is a graduate of Printed Textiles from the Faculty of Art and Design, Bristol University.
He emigrated to New Zealand in 1974. He has been a city dweller: Birmingham, Bristol, Wellington, London and Auckland, prior to settling on the East Coast of the North Island - "As a child I always dreamed of living by the sea"
He has held three solo shows in Gisborne two at the Tairawhiti Museum in 2006 and 2012. and regularly participates in exhibitions in his local community.
Rowan's work is multidisciplinary and oil painting is his primary interest, however, film, sound and installation sculpture form a part of his diverse skills base. He loves challenging his audience with unexpected 'takes' on current affairs and his involvement

with Umbrella will be a new and topical development.

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