Richard Rowan’s career as a painter has a subversive beginning: when he was 6 years old, Rowan stole his father’s finished architectural drawings and filled in the rooms and added figures with poster paints. A natural artist from the very start, he developed his talents at art school in Northampton. Following the completion of his studies, Rowan began a career in the motor sports industry, which allowed him to travel the world extensively. Seeing so much of the world changed his outlook on life and art, and Rowan never focused on drawing landscapes and classic cars. Eventually, galleries sought out his work, and Rowan was able to focus completely on his art. Though Rowan uses his extensive collection of sketches to inspire his work, for the past 3 years, he has dedicated himself to oil painting on glass, which, he admits, is a constant challenge.

Rowan claims to find his inspiration everywhere, and he always makes sure to really “look” at life around him. This approach has allowed Rowan’s work to be internationally recognized and award winning; in 1992, he won the Daily Mail’s “Artist of the Year” award.