OWEN ROWLEY 1902-1987

Owen Rowley was born in 1902, the oldest of four children in a close-knit family. He was an outstanding pupil at school but due to family circumstances left before he was 15. In 1919 he was working in the copy writing department of Carlton Publicity where with encouragement from his superiors he started his huge collection of books. Criticism of his drawing by the art department made Owen decide to enrol at St. Martins School of Art. Throughout the 1920s his painting continued and he moved to the Grosvenor School of Art run by Iain Macnab. In 1924 he joined The Daily Express and soon became Head of Publicity for the Express Group. Then Owen became General Manager working in Scotland and Manchester. Wherever he lived Owen became involved with the artistic community and made many friends. From 1937 to 1944 Owen had works exhibited at the Manchester Academy and the Manchester Society of Modern Artists. In July 1947 Lord Beaverbrook told Owen he was to head the London Evening Standard and in 9 years became Chairman. After 34 years with The Express Group Owen retired. For the next 30 years Owen would now as he said ‘devote myself to all forms of creative work’ This he did and attended The John Cass School of Art in Whitechapel two or three times a week. From 1960 onwards Owen exhibited at The Royal Institute of Oil Painters, The Royal Society of British Artists, The Royal Society of Portrait Painters, The Artists of Chelsea, The New English Art Club, The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, the Cass Art Group and the South London Group. Also for nearly 30 years he and his wife Sylvia went to the Atkinson Morley Hospital to encourage the patients to paint. He was a member of the Author’s Club in Whitehall, The Arts Club in Dover Street and above all was involved at The Cass, an Art School that still flourishes as part of London Metropolitan University. Owen was nominated by the Cass to be its representative as the trustee of the Whitechapel Art Gallery. During all this time Owen drew, painted and learned new techniques in printing and sculpture, always keen to experiment and above all to enjoy himself. The range of work in this exhibition is a tribute to his enthusiasm and love of art.