Rowan is a ceramic artist of distinction. His devotion to finding local clays and arduous firing techniques and the way he approaches life give a depth of integrity to his work not often found in ceramics today….(Ceramics: Art and Perception, Chris Staley)
I drive down a ridiculously long driveway in Stone Ridge, far from the world of galleries, dealers, art fairs and money exchanges to a place of trees, rocky fields, snowy paths and suspended time. Nothing fake or pretentious, so there are no surprises when Tim declares a personal disconnect from a theory-centric contemporary art world. His overriding desire to stay connected to his land, his own fertile imagination and creative processes is non-negotiable to anyone, but himself.
Altogether, his land in Stone Ridge resonates with a bee- like focused production: Randomly scattered about his studio and kiln area are boldly carved, heavy wood fired ceramic sculptures with surfaces reminiscent of mountains wanting to be scaled (if you are quite tiny and curious, like an insect). The pithiest of his abstract works resemble industrial tools and parts of excavation equipment that converts dirt into useable resources for architectural and cultural development.
Entering a cottage sized studio, warm, quiet and cozy, settling next to his well mannered cat, one sweeping glance of his work reminds me of a highly charged incubation chamber with works full of promise and much more to come. Plainly, his coaxing and carving from blocks of clay, with a unique archaeological appearance, implies remarkable devotion to his work , to the principles of regeneration , and ultimately, I suspect, to natural cycles and sustainable living on planet Earth. Mostly his clay is dug in New Jersey, chosen for it’s firing tolerance at mid range, unlike the low range earthenware of Hudson Valley clay. He collects and stacks local wood for firing his Japanese style anagama kiln one year prior to his “big deal” semi annual event.
What I love about Tim’s work is the non-persuasiveness of it – no annoying necessity to be smarter than nature, or me. It’s not trying to teach, cajole or trick. His imagination is powerful and the rich textures and relics imbedded from earth, ash and who knows what puts our own imaginative powers to task.
Process is essential to my work and begins with…clay…using clays from the local area locates me in a specific place……serves to keep me in tune with an earth centered and geological time. The forming process, working on multiples and repetitively is not unlike growth in nature.
( Tim Rowan)
But wait! What about a theme. Shouldn’t this work be about something –a (restrictive) narrative or an (unwelcome) intellectual game? Well, obviously I don’t think so. I mean, look at whale skin and see the history of the sea and the goings on of the giant squid evidenced by repetitive sucker marks – or an elephant’s cracked hide and see the rhythms of extreme weather conditions in the African savannahs– or antiquities frozen in limestone, the remarkable fingerprints and paintings on prehistoric cave walls. Look at Tim Rowans work. They could be relics or shed light on some revelatory events back in 21st century: our very local Vly – an especially beautiful place in the back woods of Stone Ridge. These sculptures bear witness to a seven day drama – a collaboration of artist, fire and ceramic ware and we get to remember, as if we were there.
In life, the visible surface of the Sperm Whale is not the least among the many marvels he presents….I should say that those New England rocks on the sea coast, which Agassiz (1837 scientist) imagines to bear the marks of violent scraping contact with vast floating icebergs….such scratches in the whale are probably made by hostile contact with other whales….. (Herman Melville, “Moby Dick”)
On your way to Cohen’s Bakery, you will probably see Tim working at 10 Market Street on a new body of work, as our first resident artist at our new art center, and later this month he will demonstrate his process and present a slide show as an open studio event – free to the public. Look for an announcement.
Tim Rowan received a B.F.A. from SUNY New Paltz, in 1992, then studied with Bizen potter, Ryuichi Kakurezaki,in Japan, returning in 1994 to the U.S He earned his MFA at Penn State in 1999, and was an artist in residence at the Archie Bray Foundation. Currently, he exhibits widely across the country and is represented by 4 galleries. Upcoming exhibition of his work can be seen at SOFA Chicago, May 29th 2008. Visit his website at www.timrowan.com for work samples and updates of shows.
Judy Sigunick
Feb. 2, 2008
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