Artist Robin Rowe 

By Karol Armbuster 

The Accidental Artist Laker Robin Rowe has turned her talents into a diverse career                 

Artist Robin Rowe believes that everything happens for a reason. “Everything I’ve ever done has been totally circumstance,” she said, referring to her successful business career. “I never meant to do any of this. It was just meant to be, I guess.”               

Robin has been painting and drawing since she was a young child. She enjoyed it so much she decided to major in Fine Arts at Lynchburg College where she spent many hours in the studio, working in various mediums – from painting and oils, to drawing, perspective, and even advertising.               

After graduating, Robin moved to Oklahoma City where her “accidental career” began to take on a life of its own.               

“A friend got me interested in needlework while I was pregnant with my daughter,” she said. Unsatisfied with available options while attempting to beautify the new baby’s nursery, Robin decided to make her own decorations. Her “Crewel Critters” were born. The owner of the store where Robin bought her needlework supplies liked her work so much she asked Robin if she would consider silk screening her patterns to sell in the shop. She has been creating and selling her works of art ever since.               

When the family relocated to High Point, N.C., Robin continued to design her own needlework patterns. After several years of creating freelance designs for a company called Paragon, Robin journeyed to Europe and became interested in counted cross-stitch.                

Her renewed interest in needlework became the circumstance out of which she decided to launch her own company with a partner, called Graphic Needle Arts. Robin did all the design work and pattern books, while her partner handled the business side.                 

“We started in my house and garage and were very, very successful – at one time owning two large warehouses,” Robin said. They were looking for something more to do, feeling the popularity of needlework waning, and came up with a project idea to make wreaths out of twisted paper. Just as Robin’s career path had taken many twists and turns, that seemingly simple project led to the design and manufacturing of ribbon designs.               

When she and her partner finally sold out in 1996, Robin again wanted to try her hand at something new. She decided to return to her first loves: drawing and painting.               

Robin’s first attempt at translating her ideas to canvas was with colored pencils, progressing to pastels and now oils, which are her primary works of art to this day. Recently, Robin’s daughter, a commercial interior designer, encouraged her to produce and sell her artwork as Giclee, a French word meaning “fine art reproduction.” Another new business was launched, and led Robin into painting larger pieces in oils.                

“Most of what I do is studio work,” she explained. “I take pictures, then [the painting] develops from a composite of those pictures.”               

Robin has spent a lot of time perfecting her craft. She has traveled extensively to Europe for inspiration, and has taken classes and studied with well-known and influential artists from around the world.               

Current works for sale include pieces inspired by scenes in St. John, Virgin Islands, Venice, Italy, Greece, France and Spain, as well as closer to home at Holden Beach, N.C., and Smith Mountain Lake.               

Since Robin and her husband Charlie, along with their son and daughter, began visiting Smith Mountain Lake in 1984, Robin has felt inspired by its many varied and beautiful scenes. “I just love the water and the mountains. I love painting boats and I’m inspired by cows,” she laughed. 

Locally, Robin’s work can be seen and purchased at The Little Gallery at Bridgewater Plaza, and Interiors by Kris at Westlake Towne Center. In May, she will debut a new web site at rowboatart.com.