FOREWORD
continues to be, an untrodden path, a journey of self-improvement and scientific discovery at every twist and turn. Every landscape he produces is not only a beautiful snapshot of whatever horizon he chooses to capture - from glacial Nordic fjords to sunsets over the Serengeti - but an exercise in skill, a display of craftsmanship to be much admired. Be assured, Rowan’s intention is not to impress or confound, but to comfort. In creating work that brings to life the beauty of the natural world, he aims to right the equilibrium of society today, to soothe the wounds caused to our common human spirit by atrocities and disasters too numerous to mention. In doing so, he hopes to transport us to places where warfare, famine and cruelty cannot follow. We are invited to relax into his world, to bask in his peaceful yet striking landscapes, and meditate towards a zen state, free of everyday burdens. In his words; “Embrace the painting, and the painting will embrace you.” This collection is a ticket to round the world travel, a portal to destinations far and wide, escapism on your wall.
Two years on from his acclaimed last collection Dusk Dawn , Richard Rowan has cast his gaze towards the stars to bring us New Horizons ; a body of work that gifts us his established and recognisable representation of stunning landscapes, with an otherworldly quality. Inspired by his fascination with space exploration, and the recently launched space probe of the same name, New Horizons serves as a reminder to look beyond the immediate, and to continue the search for knowledge and enlightenment. Rowan’s work continues to do battle with the impossible, to encapsulate the infinite and define the intangible. This theme is consistent not just through his subject matter, but in his methodology, which baffles and intrigues in equal measure. Much like his much admired astronauts, Rowan has also chosen to boldly go where no man has gone before, invoking techniques not used by any others artists. However, that prestige is not without its ensuing challenges; in encountering a technical conundrum, he has no one to ask, no reference text to consult. His career has been, and
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