George Rowlett

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Artist Bio

George Rowlett was born in Troon on the west coast of Scotland in 1941. Until he was ten, Rowlett lived in Argyll, spending much of his free time observing nature. This rural existence and interest in the landscape would come to deeply influence his artistic subject matter as he followed in the path of his grandparents who were amateur artists. Whilst attending school in Lincolnshire, he first viewed reproduction images of Van Gogh paintings. While Rowlett did not study art at school, he began to learn by attempting to imitate Van Gogh, initially working in watercolour and gouache. After suffering a bad motorcycle accident which caused Rowlett to stay in hospital for a year, he started to frequently draw and read. This period shifted his perspective, as he began to take art more seriously and planned to attend art school. He attended Grimsby Art School under his mentor, Peter Todd, who encouraged him to apply to schools in London, Rowlett enrolled in Camberwell in 1962. Rowlett’s aesthetic was continually evolving as he encountered modern British artists, Frank Auerbach and Euan Uglow, through he still remained inspired by Van Gogh as well as German Expressionists. He continued his studies at the Royal Academy schools, with a focus on life drawing which confirmed his belief in direct observation to achieve his desired aesthetic.

Rowlett is primarily a landscape painter, working en plein air in a rapid manner to meet the pace of nature. He begins by liberally and rapidly applying paint, then gradually slows down to contemplate and reflect on the view before him, almost sculpting the landscape out of layers of oil paint. This process exemplifies Rowlett’s understanding of light and movement, achieving strongly atmospheric and emotional compositions.

Rowlett’s first solo exhibition in Ireland was held in 1996 at Grant Fine Art, Newcastle. It was followed by the 1998 ‘Dundrum series’ of landscapes at Grant Fine Art, described by Andrew Lambirth: ‘these paintings need to be felt as much as looked at and thought about.’ His solo exhibitions include the Art Space Gallery, London, Belloc Lowndes Fine Art, Chicago, Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg, as well as group exhibitions at the Royal Academy, Mall Galleries, Camden Arts Centre, Whitechapel Gallery, Hayward Gallery, National Portrait Gallery.

Available works by George Rowlett

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Lot 115 George Rowlett 'THREE ANGLERS ON WALMER BEACH'
Estimate: £800 - £1,200
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Recent results for George Rowlett

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'CORNFIELD AT FREEDOWN' SIZE: H 16" x W 24" Result: £1,800 Date: 20/11/2024
'MOURNES & DUNDRUM' SIZE: H 36" x W 48" Result: £1,300 Date: 20/11/2024
'SURF & SPRAY BY DEAL PIER' SIZE: H 30" x W 48" Result: £1,300 Date: 20/11/2024
'MIST ON THE MOURNES' SIZE: H 14" x W 24" Result: £1,000 Date: 20/11/2024
'GATHERING MUSSELS' SIZE: H 12" x W 18" Result: £950 Date: 20/11/2024
'WILD FOWL OVER GREENISLAND' SIZE: H 24" x W 36" Result: £800 Date: 20/11/2024
'MORNING LIGHT DUNDRUM' SIZE: H 24" x W 36" Result: £650 Date: 20/11/2024
'WIDOW'S ROW, DUNDRUM' SIZE: H 12" x W 18" Result: £650 Date: 20/11/2024
'THE QUAY, DUNDRUM' SIZE: H 24" x W 30" Result: £600 Date: 20/11/2024
'KILLOUGH CHURCH' SIZE: H 12" x W 18" Result: £500 Date: 20/11/2024
'OYSTER CATCHERS, DUNDRUM BAY' SIZE: H 12" x W 16" Result: £500 Date: 20/11/2024
'EVENING WALK, DUNDRUM' SIZE: H 12" x W 16" Result: £500 Date: 20/11/2024
'DUNDRUM CASTLE' SIZE: H 18" x W 24" Result: £400 Date: 20/11/2024
'THE MOURNES & DUNDRUM' SIZE: H 12" x W 16" Result: £400 Date: 20/11/2024
'LOOKING TO RINGWOOD CHURCH' SIZE: H 8" x W 12" Result: £300 Date: 20/11/2024