Governor's Gallery

Cathy Rowten
Everyday Beauty

November 5, 2007 thru January 4, 2008

A native farm girl, Cathy Rowten’s favorite subjects are the people and places of her own state of Oklahoma. Capturing an expression on a child’s face or the mood of a single precious moment of time in someone’s life is the motivating force that keeps the paintings coming.

“I want my art to reflect our many moods … hopefully, to be an expression of a moment in time that is beautiful for the feeling it elicits. The figure is my favorite subject to paint because the face is an endless supply of emotion,” said Rowten. “Everyday that I paint, I learn something new. It is an interesting journey to see where it takes me.”

She describes her work as contemporary figurative. “I work primarily in oil on panel, which I think allows the paint and brush strokes to sit up more boldly. Next to the subject, comes lighting in importance to my art. “I love the natural light from the setting and rising sun to give my images a glow.”

Rowten’s art career began in graphic art with fashion and furniture being her main interests. Twenty years later she changed her direction completely and traded her pen for pastels and paint. Many of her paintings give us a glimpse into the everyday, but intimate world of the people who live, work and play around us.

Graduating with a B.S.E. from Oklahoma Christian University, this Edmond artist has continued her studies in photography and sculpture. She has studied with Jack Moses, Ben Konis, Zhang WenXin, Joseph Larusso and Carolyn Anderson. She also taught high school art for several years and raised a family. Rowten’s award-winning paintings are collected by both private and corporate entities across the country. She exhibits her work in shows and galleries and does many commissioned portraits.

Sponsored by the Oklahoma Arts Council. For more information contact Scott Cowan at 405.521.2931 or scott@arts.ok.gov

The Governor's Gallery is located on the 2nd floor of the State Capitol outside the Blue Room and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30-5:00.

Past Governor's Gallery Exhibits