CONTACT INFO:
Website:john-rowe.com
Artistic Odyssey
–Andrew Webster Reporting Editor- Fine Art Today
From the West Coast to the East Coast and back, accomplished artist John Rowe has done just about everything to establish a successful career. Supporting a family through major commissions as an illustrator, Rowe continues his epic journey by exploring more deeply how fine art can communicate what words cannot.
The story of artist John Rowe’s career reads like Homer’s Odyssey — filled with triumph, love, deception, failure, and so much more. Like many before him, Rowe’s odyssey began when he was a child. The artist recalls how he had trouble putting down the pencil — how he was constantly observing the world and musing on how to represent it on paper. As a budding artist, Rowe’s formal training began at Cal State LA, where Al Fiori encouraged him to go to Art Center. Rowe recalls, “My first attempt at a student loan fell through, so I worked two full-time jobs to raise tuition and work my way through school. After school, I sold my belongings and took a Greyhound bus to New York City with $600 to my name.”
In the “City That Never Sleeps,” Rowe found himself being pushed into roles that didn’t provide the creative outlet he desired, so he took the plunge and resigned his role at an ad agency and began painting full-time. The move proved pivotal for Rowe, who relocated to Los Angeles and was quickly noticed by Disney for his illustrative talent. He writes, “Over the years I have been lucky enough to be able to support my family through commissions from Disney, the United Nations, and National Geographic. I was the president of the Society of Illustrators in Los Angeles for a few years as well. I’ve had lots of fun as a guest artist on cruise ships and learned a lot from many talented people. I feel like I am finally learning how to paint decently and my current work just might have something to offer. Mostly I am very grateful to be able to do what I love and have so much fun making art.”
Past President of the Society of Illustrators L.A.
Legacy Artist, Disney Fine Art.
Commissions include: United Nations, National Geographic, Disney, Cover, Simon & Schuster, Harper Collins and numerous private and public commissions.
John's Studio is located in Glendale California.
