Stephen Rowe
By liz, October 1st, 2009,in | Comments Off on Stephen Rowe
The Artist
As a young boy from the outback town of Broken Hill Australia, Stephen showed an early talent for drawing, painting and other artistic endeavors. This energy and passion for the graphic arts was temporarily put on the back burner as Stephen actively participated in boxing and competitive motocross racing before embarking on a subsequent fifteen year international career as a professional classical ballet dancer. Upon his retirement from the ballet world, he took back up his family’s professional trade as a finish carpenter. At the same time, Stephen continued to pursue his passion for art as another creative outlet. This, however, was not the only avenue he found to release this energy. In addition to painting, Stephen is a country music singer/songwriter, having recently been signed to a record label in Australia.
He released his first music CD and video “Broken Hill” in February 2007 following with a single duet with Australian Country artist Tania Kernaghan called “Let’s Fall in Love Again’. Stephen’s new CD and video clip “Restless Soul” will be released in October 2009.
The Artwork
But enough about Stephen; what’s important here is the meaning, inspiration and concept of his artwork. As a native of Australia, Stephen’s work is partly influenced by Aboriginal dot art, leavened by the impression of the working class culture imparted to him in Broken Hill, the hard scrabble mining town that formed his vision. Stephen learned from some of the most renowned artists in Australia and even the world, prominent artists such as Pro-Hart, also from Broken Hill. In addition, during his ballet career, he was fortunate enough to work with Lindsay Kemp, an admired choreographer, director, and artist. These individuals and others certainly had a marked impression on Stephen’s aesthetic outlook. Combining pointillism with abstract using media such as acrylic paint on canvas and wood, every painting is both a picture and an abstraction. Each dot signifies a unique thought and moment in time. As a result, every piece is ‘one of a kind’ never to be repeated again.
