Welcome to the truth in this art. Your source for conversations at the intersection of arts, culture, and community. I am your host, Rob Lee. And today, I have the privilege of being in conversation with a visual artist who's working between Baltimore and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her work draws from ancient Venus figurines to explore sisterhood, mysticism, and femininity, bridging ancestral history and modern identity.
Rob Lee:Please welcome Rowan Bathurst. Welcome to the podcast.
Rowan Bathurst:Thank you. Thanks for having me.
Rob Lee:Thank you for for coming on and and spending some time. We're gonna we were already chatting. I feel like we did a pre podcast to the podcast that might be another podcast. We'll see. How many times can I say podcast?
Rob Lee:It's all for SEO. So before we get into the sort of the main themes and main conversation today, I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you if you could introduce yourself, in your own words. I think we get these really well thought out, good words, well written artist statements and bios, but inevitably something is missing. You end up getting you know, when a folk when folks feel comfortable, they share these details that don't show up in those bios. So I wanna give you the space and opportunity to do so.
Rowan Bathurst:This is true. Hi, everybody. My name is Rowan Bathurst. I am a definitely a painter. I love painting on everything, the canvas, the giant wall.
Rowan Bathurst:It's been my passion since I was about 16. A lot of my work has been inspired by women, my friends, women I meet on trips and everything. A lot of my work is also inspired by sport and running. My mom was a boxer. My dad is a triathlete, and my grandfather was an ultra marathon runner in the seventies.
Rowan Bathurst:So I grew up with the sports a lot, and this has just bled into my work. It's been something I've also done since I was a kid, and it's just integrated into my life. I think specifically running is is just crucial to my work as well. This is when I, like, brainstorm about, you know, what I'm gonna make, what my work is about. It's when I find my inspiration.
Rob Lee:Thank you. Thank you. See, now, see, I I don't like when that happens. When I get that detail and I had to remove a rapid fire question, because it was related to sports, and now
Rowan Bathurst:Oh, really?
Rob Lee:Yeah. Yeah.
Rowan Bathurst:You can still ask it.
Rob Lee:No. You're real you're really you're really covered it. So so thank you for that. Inevitably, I'll come up with a new one, that put in there. So you you said since since about 16 that you you've been interested in sort of this this creative work.
Rob Lee:And when you when you think back, and I and I'm looking for, like, in the the roots of it. I mean, you think back, is there an early experience where maybe it wasn't something that's, you know, set the sort of path that, hey. I wanna be an artist. I wanna I wanna paint, but it was just like recognizing something creative or maybe seeing a play or maybe seeing an artwork out there that you think of now as an adult. Like, I remember that.
Rob Lee:I love that. Or I go back there for for inspiration maybe.
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. Absolutely. I actually went to a very strict Catholic school until I was in 8th grade, and we didn't have any art classes whatsoever. We didn't have art, music, or writing, whatever, in the, in the school. And so I didn't really get introduced into art until I was 16 in high school.
Rowan Bathurst:I never painted or drew in my life beforehand. So when I started painting, I knew immediately, like, that was, wow, like, something I really loved and was passionate about. But to, like, be more specific, one there was one painting I found in a library book when I was around, like, maybe 8 or 9, and it was Henry Russo's, The Snake Charmer. I don't know if you're familiar with it at all. Do you know Henry Russo's work?
Rob Lee:I'm I'm no. I'm not super familiar. Tell us about it.
Rowan Bathurst:Okay. He he was, like, a a French painter in the late 1800, and he his work was kind of leaning towards surrealism before surrealism was a movement in the twenties. And he they said, like, his work could have been, like, on the spectrum because of how odd it was conveyed. But who knows? It could also just have been, like, you know, the steps into art outside of realism and whatnot.
Rowan Bathurst:But, anyway, the work is a woman playing a flute with all of these animals around her and, you know, very high contrasting colors. And the way that the grass is shaped, I remember it was, like, one was in front of the other, and it was just laid in such a different way that I've never seen before.
Rob Lee:Sure.
Rowan Bathurst:And I remember being like, wow, art can look like this? Like, this is so interesting and fascinating. And I I just remember that painting always stuck with me. Even though, like, I didn't make art until, you know, like, some years later, I that painting was, like, the first artwork that that really touched me.
Rob Lee:Thank you. Thank you for taking us back there, a little bit. So moving into sort of where we're at here at recording time, we're the tail end of of 2024. So if you will, could you describe your current work and sort of the main themes that you're exploring?
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. So some of the work now, I actually haven't posted anything or shared any of it publicly. I'm preparing for a solo show, in January right now. And yeah. So I'm very excited for it, but it's been a lot about sisterhood.
Rowan Bathurst:I'm, like, leaning towards more realistic images that I've taken of friends, like watching TV or being outside and playing sports and leaning. I a lot of my work in the past was about, like surrealist landscapes and kind of collaging images that I took of my friends with, old National Geographic work. So now it's just me taking photos of, you know, a setting that I created. And so it's supposed to be about, the series is called, like, I'm just a girl, which is, you know, just women being themselves and allowing space to feel, what's the word, I guess, just to feel at peace. And, yeah, they're my friends that I set up.
Rowan Bathurst:There's always some element of, like, architecture or historic artifacts that I like to put in there. So a vase or, Venus figurines, something along the lines that connects the present day women to the history of of them. And usually the models that I choose I have I have some friends from different countries. So, like, one of my best friends from Venezuela, the other is from China. I always try to be very specific with, the artifacts that I use and the friends that I choose to have modeled for me.
Rob Lee:Nice. I I I like sort of the the elements of, you know, the of the past and sort of connecting to the presence is is showing a sort of continuum with time, I guess, is a theme in there as well. No?
Rowan Bathurst:Mhmm. Mhmm. Yeah. There's always this I think I was always very interested in art history. I I think I when did I come across it?
Rowan Bathurst:I guess, like, in not until I was in CCBC when I first started taking art history. And then when I transferred
Rob Lee:to MICA, I actually minored in it, which was
Rowan Bathurst:a great option for which was a great option for me. But I always studied, like, like prehistoric art. That was my my favorite.
Rob Lee:So now I'm gonna slide in a rapid fire question for a prehistoric it's it's gonna be Trolley. It's gonna be super Trolley, just so you know. I know. Yeah. Just just just sweat on that a little bit.
Rob Lee:So this is sort of the last, like, part of this this question. There's a part b to this question, you know, sort of the themes. Is there and and I'm I'm sure you you touched on it, but just kinda tapping back on it, is there a, you know, part of, like, your life that influences, you know, sort of the path you chose, in in your work and a path that you're moving towards in this next progression in your work? And and I say that because, you know, this doing this this podcast, it's you know, as I shared a little bit before we got started, it's it's it's personal in that way of, I'm a Baltimorean, and I wanna talk with my people and all of that stuff. And I don't like people talking spicy about this, you know, city and the people in it,
Rowan Bathurst:so I
Rob Lee:can do what I can to sort of disprove it. That's that's an influence. That's something that sets me on sort of this path. Like, you know, this is, you know, just hitting 5 years in doing this. Because I said before we have started, I'd already been a podcaster for, like, a decade, and I was doing something very different.
Rob Lee:So, you know, having that sort of shift in the direction of where I've gone and where I'm gonna go, you know, the personal thing is a big part of it.
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. Definitely. I think before I started traveling, I never really I never really left the East Coast, let alone, like, Baltimore. Right out of Mica, I got I just I I mean, I worked all the way through school. I always had, like, 2 to 3 jobs at a time.
Rowan Bathurst:And once I graduated, I started working at Charm City Cakes, in Remington, and I was, like, sculpting cakes. It was fun. It was creative. But for me, there was, like, always something missing. And traveling, like, has been my dream since I was young.
Rowan Bathurst:I would I was such a big reader. You know, I would read the Magic Tree House and travel in books and, you know, it it I watched Anthony Bourdain religiously, all of his shows. So, yeah. There was always, like, a dream of mine, but I felt so far away. And I'm like, how do I tie my work with traveling?
Rowan Bathurst:And so I started to look at residencies, and I applied to a couple, South America, Northern Africa, and Eastern Europe, like, just all over. And I was like, whatever one contacts me first, I'm just gonna go because I'm, like, manning at the same time as I'm working at Charm City Cakes. It's just, like, I'm not making my art, and something just kinda clicked. And I got this residency in Sao Paulo, Brazil. And I think this was so pivotal for me.
Rowan Bathurst:I was like, I was about to be 24 at the time, and I was like, oh my gosh. What do I do with my job? My, like, I quit the knitting job. I told Charm City Cakes that I'll be back, and they were they also like, I'm sorry, but I gotta do this for 2 months, and they were surprisingly so cool with it. So, I left for Sao Paulo, Brazil, and this is where I met my partner, Ze Polito, who is a artist as well.
Rowan Bathurst:He we had we, like, knew each other before, like, through the mural community. And then when I went to Sao Paulo, I told him, I'm like, hey, I'm here, like, let's meet up, whatever, let's hang out. And then we met, and one once the amount, they started dating and fell in love, and the rest is history. And, since then, our I, I never really spent full like a full time creating my work. Yeah.
Rowan Bathurst:And when I was in this residency, that's all I did. I didn't work out. I didn't hang out with friends. I just, like, painted. And the residency was actually, like, on a island, which was so nice.
Rowan Bathurst:So I would, like, pay during the day and swim at night. It was it was wonderful. But, yeah. I just never had the chance to work without to work on my art without working
Rob Lee:for
Rowan Bathurst:money. So I think coming back to Baltimore after that, I was like, well, shit, what do I do with this feeling that I have that now I know I can create work full time, and how do I go back and transition into, you know, working at a 9 to 5? Yeah. And so I started working at Charm City Cakes again, and it you know, I I think it was only a few months before COVID happened. And so I maybe worked every, like, 3 months, and then we're like, hey, we're shutting down.
Rowan Bathurst:So then I actually I guess it was like a silver lining. I got to come back to, like, to my home and, just work full time again on art. I, like, would work sporadically at the bakery, and then eventually, I just ended up quitting Yeah. And started working full time as an artist.
Rob Lee:And and and that's and that's great. I wanna comment on one thing before moving into this this next question. Mhmm. Because I've been revisiting some of the the the books that I draw inspiration from, that I, sort of get insights from. And one of the things I've been rereading, a lot, recently is, the the death of the artist.
Rob Lee:And this is one thing that keeps popping up as far as these these artists that are interviewed for this book. It's sort of some artists that are not the household names, if you will. They're doing doing great work and all of that stuff, but it's not like the coons and all of that stuff of the world.
Rowan Bathurst:Mhmm. Mhmm.
Rob Lee:And and it's it's intentional to get an idea of, like, what is a working artist? What does that look like? And, you know, the author talks about this, musician, and it's like, yeah, this musician gave up on being a musician because he wasn't making music, because he was too busy being a musician and all of the stuff that goes into the admin stuff to go into the events, to doing podcasts, instead of actually making making the music. And, you know, I have had conversations with some of my sort of the the real chat, the the the outside of the podcast chat with some of my artist friends in doing this pod. And, you know, we talk about that a lot of what are these other things that, at the end of the day, don't lead to you actually making work, producing something that leads to maybe an opportunity, but it's still limited amount of time.
Rob Lee:And sometimes, sort of that job situation as well is just like rent increases, you know, canvassing Yeah. Materials and all of that stuff. And, you know, as I was sharing before we got started, I have the same thing, and I'm still cranking stuff out, but it's very little time to do these other things. So when the opportunity Yeah. So when the opportunity presents itself to to, to maybe shift it to a full time thing, you know, full time practice, it's great.
Rowan Bathurst:Oh, it it was. But, I mean, it's such a rocky transition, to be honest. Like, you know, I I remember the 1st 6 months was like I I feel like I woke up with anxiety every day of, like, how am I gonna make this happen? I don't know what I do. I didn't plan enough.
Rowan Bathurst:You know? I just knew that I was, like, making more money doing one mural or selling one painting than I was working a full time job. And I'm like, this is if I put all my time into doing this, then, you know, I can just I can get by. But, like, I I never really wanted to well, I never wanted to at all to make work for money. I just knew I needed to do it.
Rowan Bathurst:It was just this, like, drive inside of me. And the fact that I make, you know, money and my life off of it, it's, like, even better. So yeah. But the transition is was such a challenge. I think, you know, learning discipline was the hardest thing for me, and learning all the hats that we have to wear.
Rowan Bathurst:Like like you said, administration, how do I juggle my relationships? How do I promote myself? How do I, you know, I have to do all of this work myself. And that that was something I just didn't think about at all. I always had the safety net of a job.
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. But, yeah, I think something that has really taught me discipline and to work through the times when I don't have inspiration and to just keep going, you have to, like, you have to really be mentally tough to work through that sometimes because as as artists, we spend a lot of time alone, and it can you can get in your head a lot and, like, have all these feelings and doubts that you work through. But that's why I think such a it's why I run, why I exercise and everything. It's like you have to push through the uncomfortable parts during the workout, during the run, whatever, to get to the end, to the other side. And the fact that you keep going, you build up that resilience and endurance that it really, like, leads into the rest of, like, other parts of your life, I think.
Rob Lee:I hear your sister with a h at the end, I'm afraid. Yeah. Because, you know, I I get up in the morning, like, at 5 something every morning. I do a 2 to 4 mile intermittent run walk. I have a bad knee.
Rob Lee:It's it's whatever. And I hear you. And then and then I go into the gym and I lift weights for about an hour, and I joke with the trainers there. I'm like, yo, I torture myself every morning, but I feel like I've accomplished certain things. So I feel like when I get to this part of the day, when I'm able to interview someone, learn about their stuff, it feels like I've earned that day, which I don't know.
Rob Lee:I was like, I've already gotten through it.
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. Yeah. No. The hardest part of your day was, like, the sometimes it was the workout.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Rowan Bathurst:It really was.
Rob Lee:It was, like, 12
Rowan Bathurst:hours. Yeah. Kudos to you for getting up at 5, but I did it I did it just a few times in my life.
Rob Lee:It's the only way I can get done. So let me let me move into this next question. I I'm curious about it, especially if there are ones that kinda fall out side of, let's say, the the mediums that you explore, the visual, the the the painting, the murals and such. Who are your creative role models and why do you admire them?
Rowan Bathurst:Mhmm. I think some of the early creative role models for me were Anna Mendieta, Eva Hesse, and Shareen Nassar. All of them were pretty important female artists in the seventies. And they once I learned about their work, my, I guess, mindset of our work totally changed. I saw art in a different light.
Rowan Bathurst:They none of them are painters, which is funny because I'm, I like to say I'm strictly a painter. But their relationship with how they created and saw the world was just so beautiful to me. For example, like Anna Mendieta, she didn't really use any material besides the earth. She would, like, sculpt into the earth and photograph her sculptures. And she always said, like, it's a dialogue between me and nature.
Rowan Bathurst:Right? And then Eva Hesse, when she was working with, like, household cleaners and objects and wax and creating sculpture in a different way. And I'm like, what? You can use, like, everyday objects to make art. And then Shereen Nissat, she was somebody, who created work about I I think she's from Tehran, if I'm thinking if I'm remembering correctly.
Rowan Bathurst:But her work was political, and it was very strong. I had no idea that it could or can this be used as activism at the time. I think all of those artists really stuck with me. And I think speaking of, excuse me, of painters, Kerry James Marshall, I absolutely adore his work, and, Jenna Gribben as well. Her painters.
Rowan Bathurst:Just gotta throw that out there.
Rob Lee:You you you painter types. You always have to
Rowan Bathurst:I understand.
Rob Lee:Stick together, you know, like yeah. And and and I think having sort of the way to translate was great because you have sort of the, you know, artists that aren't necessarily in your your lane, quote unquote, and then ones that are, like, yeah, they are also painters. Like, when I do the thing of talking about podcasts that I listen to, it's not interview style podcasts. It's generally horror movie podcast or horror story podcast. Or if it's outside of the realm of podcasting, then it's someone that's a, you know, a polymath.
Rob Lee:They're doing multiple things because I don't like the notion of just you just do a podcast. It's like I'm I think bigger and larger than that. This is one of the outlets that I do and I've done for a while. But, being able to explore other things, it's I'm more curious about the thinking, which I think it kinda flips me to talk to different types of artists, different types of creatives versus having the same sort of conversation with each one, having a diverse Yeah. Of.
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. It's the same for me as, like, talking with somebody, like, for example, my housemate, she she studies math at Johns Hopkins, actually. And I'm just like, when she talks about my work, it's it's because she's come to my show, she see my studio, we're like, we're friends and everything, but she always gives such an interesting and different perspective of my work than what I intended the artwork to be or what I thought of it. And I'm just like, oh, this is amazing. Like, I gotta talk to more non artists than, like, my friends who are artists.
Rowan Bathurst:You know? Funny.
Rob Lee:So I wanna move into this next question as we talk in process a little bit here in in in the most general terms possible because I you know? So I find starting to be a challenge, which is why, you know, you fell into my my trap earlier. We have a 20 minute conversation before actually doing a podcast because starting for me is a version of procrastination. Could you share a bit of your creative process with us, and which part about your process do you find the most difficult, the most challenging?
Rowan Bathurst:Like I mentioned earlier, like, working through the times of, like, lack of motivation or inspiration. And, like, now, for example, to be, like, transparent, I have a show coming up, in January, and there's there's, like, themes I'm working around, but I'm at a point now where, like, I had my partner and I called it like a mural marathon where it was just like back to back work the entire summer and fall, which is awesome, but, like, I'm a little burnt out from it. And I'm like, oh, where do I muster this creativity and inspiration for this next series that I'm gonna do? I think, honestly, the challenge is being patient with myself and not trying not to distract myself with other stuff and just like, okay. I gotta sit down and think about my work.
Rowan Bathurst:I think, like you said, starting is a is a hard is a challenge for me too. But I think once I start painting, then it's like nothing else matters. It's, it's what it's like focusing. It's kind of like the the structure of a building. Right?
Rowan Bathurst:You're, like, creating the the base for the foundation for all the material and decoration to fall on top. So painting can be the easy easy part for me.
Rob Lee:And so so where where does, you know, that initial sort of, like, maybe idea or sort of and and thank you for that, by the way. And and and sort of the the ideas and sort of those those themes that that where they come at is it's sort of you got that notepad on you or something of, like, I wanna explore this, or do you go into the, you know, the iPhone? Let me take a look at my notes. What do I wanna do?
Rowan Bathurst:No. For me, it's like it's never a verbal, idea. It's always an image in my mind. That's just how my brain works, I guess. It's like, I will see, I don't know, the way the light shines on a specific tree and, like, this contrast is really cool.
Rowan Bathurst:Or, like, my friend has her phone underneath her chin, and it's lighting up her face in an interesting way. So I think visually for me, that's what that's where I get the inspiration from. And also, like, my travels, I photograph with, like, a 35 millimeter camera, that I love, and I I pull a lot of my inspiration from those landscapes as well. So for me, yeah, it's it's all images up there. And then later, I have to write down, like, what it means and everything else.
Rob Lee:And and that's that's a good you see, you're doing part of my work now. You're you're helping me with this segue, and so I definitely wanna know the meaning here. So in looking over, you know, going through the website, I I don't know how many movies you watch, but, you know, you see, like, someone here investigating, like, you know, the the criminal, and they've gone from this location to that location. They have the little strings that connect locations.
Rowan Bathurst:Mhmm. I'm doing
Rob Lee:that when I do my research for you guests. Right? And, you know, I've noticed that the color red is like a reoccurring color in your paintings and your murals. Can you explain sort of the significance of the color red?
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. Initially, I was about I think around 2020, I was playing around with just a lot of monochromatic painting, And I really gravitated towards the red, a lot because I would I have these, like, stage lights that I would, you know, put all my friends and, you know, they we would be outside in the dark, and I would it would be glowing with this, like, red hue. It's a very it's it's so cool. I need to, like, post more of my photos, my photography, actually. But anyway, I just gravitated towards the red.
Rowan Bathurst:I think it looked just visually the most interesting with, like, a twilight blue sky background and this red figure. But as I started to work more in series and dive deeper into it, like, red symbolically means a lot of things. It's like passion, anger, love. It's also like the color of of blood, honestly. And it it's just a very heavy I think it's a heavy color for women because I think women tend to carry a lot of emotion inside.
Rowan Bathurst:And whether they express it or not is like up to that individual, but, I think it's just a very emotive color. And so painting women red, these women are like my friends that I photograph, but is a way of honoring their emotions and, the complexity that we feel inside.
Rob Lee:So, obviously and I I share this a little bit that I was doing my research. I found maybe some videos out there, you know, some some vlogs and things of that nature, but there was one story that I saw was about this, creating one of these large scale murals. You know, the like the piece, on a wall at Drug City. Could you share the importance of of adding color in sort of public art and murals, adding some color to the gray that we're all encountering in some of these cities? Because I've talked to some lists.
Rob Lee:Yeah. I had a little conversation with the folks from on the Brush Mural Fest. So definitely Oh,
Rowan Bathurst:yeah. Yeah.
Rob Lee:Hearing about that would be great. Tell us a little bit about sort of the importance of adding color and if you wanna touch on drug city, please.
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. Well, painting Drug City Pharmacy was just such a joy. It's located in Dundalk, and the people in Dundalk are just, like, the sweetest, kindest, kookiest people out there. They would bring these snowballs every day. They would just be talking to me.
Rowan Bathurst:It was, like, every 10 minutes, somebody would come up and say something and chat, which which I personally love. I know some artists don't like that, but, I just felt so supportive. They just hearing how much they loved it and, their encouraging words of just just being so kind. It makes everything worth it. It, I was painting in, like, those 2 weeks in June where it was, like, a 100 degrees every day, and it was it was, like, physically a little grueling.
Rowan Bathurst:So I, like, I taped an umbrella up to the cabin on the lift and add a little cabana up there with my snowballs. But, I think, honestly, the most rewarding point, part about painting murals is just, like, literally seeing how happy, people are. It's just it's the best thing. It's like, they get to see that every day. They get to walk up there.
Rowan Bathurst:You know, some people, specifically at, you know, in Dundalk at Drug City, it's like, they go there every other day. So, I'm I'm honored to paint for the community. And I think also what I was saying before, like, I'm talking to non artists about artwork, that they always have a different perspective on it. And when I'm working with, like, a community to make a mural and we're brainstorming, I'm I try to always stay, like, really open about what they wanna, have in the mural and just kind of, like, bounce off of their ideas as well as mine. So it's it's always very rewarding, for sure.
Rob Lee:Thank you. So I got 2 more real questions, and I have now 15 rapid fire questions. You've been talking. I've been writing. So
Rowan Bathurst:Oh, okay.
Rob Lee:So going a bit further, there's another, another piece I saw another story I saw was, sort of this this, this piece called I danced too. Could you share the inspiration behind that? I I read it was, you know, inspired by a poem originally. Talk a bit about that.
Rowan Bathurst:Mhmm. Yeah. So the poem is by Hannah Arden. She's a German writer. But I actually came across this poem when I was in Brazil.
Rowan Bathurst:So the first time I read it was in Portuguese. And in Portuguese, they have, like, a different structure of wording sentences, and they don't use as many filler words as English does. So for me, when I first read it, it, as poetry normally is though, but it was so powerful. And the poem is about experiencing all of the hardships of life, the complexities that we feel as humans, and really, like, the struggles, I think. And at the end, it's like we choose to smile and we choose to dance.
Rowan Bathurst:We choose to carry on, you know, and I I thought that was very beautiful, and it also spoke to my work. So I made a few paintings with that title I danced to, and it was some of my friends. I collaged an image, like, in separate images of them together, dancing with different lights, and it was in, like, a tropical setting. And I actually ended up transferring that painting onto a mural as well. So, yeah, it was it was it's just a ode to carrying on and choosing choosing to smile.
Rob Lee:I dig it. I imagine, like, you know, one of the, like, the fringe benefits of being one of your friends is being immortalized at a work. It's like, you know, I'm a pain queen actually. Right?
Rowan Bathurst:No. Totally. There's not one friend of mine who has not been painted at one point or another.
Rob Lee:There there was one point in this whole thing where I was, like, I was I had this idea, and I I'm not really, you know, an ego guy in that way. I was like, man, the truth in this art, how about I become a part of the art? Right? And I started, like, reaching out to folks. I don't know.
Rob Lee:It's it's ridiculous, but I'm sure. I'd reached out, and, Monica Kegui was like, sure. Yes. So it's it's a it's a painting that Oh,
Rowan Bathurst:she's an amazing painter.
Rob Lee:Yeah. She came by the studio. She's like, alright. What is your look? Like, what is a pose that just says Rob?
Rob Lee:And I was, like, I'm probably holding a microphone. I probably have headphones on, and you you captured the essence of me. So, you know, it's having that just it's in my head, at least. It's not trivial for one to be mortalized by by anyone in in their work, but especially someone that you respect their work and you dig their work, you admire their work. So that was just, like, in this 5 year journey in doing this podcast, that's that's up there.
Rob Lee:That's up there on the
Rowan Bathurst:Oh, that's awesome. And she's an incredible painter. Like, that's awesome. That's awesome.
Rob Lee:I just want a Ghostbusters 2 reference to happen. No one's gonna
Rowan Bathurst:get it.
Rob Lee:So so here so here's the the last question I got for you. Last real question because, you know, those 15 questions.
Rowan Bathurst:Alright.
Rob Lee:So your work has been collected and exhibited locally and internationally in both, solo and in group exhibitions. And, you know, I use this this term global citizen. Right? You're, you know, you're you're you're a backpack to use different continents. I would love for you to share sort of a memorable experience traveling because, you know, I think it's a nice way to sort of close things out because you started off talking about it a little bit.
Rob Lee:I wanted to hold on to this question towards
Rowan Bathurst:the end.
Rob Lee:But a memorable memorable experience, traveling and how it adds to your perspective, you know, as as an artist in Baltimore, as artists from Baltimore, you you touched on a little bit of not really leaving the East Coast at a point. And, you know, we have this bit here. You wanna go from East Baltimore to West Baltimore. So
Rowan Bathurst:Mhmm.
Rob Lee:You traveling and going to these different continents, speak on that a bit, please.
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. I think one of the most important things that I've learned is that there is a whole different way of life, like, even, you know, within our own country, from place to place that you go to, from each country, each continent. Everybody has, like, a different reality in a way, and they have a different way of handling things. I think one of the one thing that really shocked me was when I went to Ecuador, and this was, like, one of the first countries that I visited outside of Brazil and the US. I actually I flew to Ecuador, and my partner flew from Sao Paulo there, so we met together.
Rowan Bathurst:This was actually, like, I think, 2 weeks before COVID, which was wild. So we really we really enjoyed this. But, we were we're like we've always been budget travelers, and we ended up staying in this hostel, and we hitchhiked up to this beautiful, volcano. And that we, like we we went on this little tour, and I think it was something like 15,000 feet in the air, this volcano. And we we met this older man there, and he was maybe 75, and I think he was from Spain.
Rowan Bathurst:He was traveling solo. And, of course, like, when you're in the high elevation, I had no idea it was that high. I like, my heart was beating fast. I felt like I was gonna faint. He he just, like, breezed through it.
Rowan Bathurst:No problem. And I think I really didn't have a I have this like limiting belief that like, okay, this old guy by himself is up here, Like, he how is he doing this easier than me? And then just something like that simple and small, like, really broke that mindset that I had and was like, okay, no, he can travel by himself. He can fly around and way easier than I can and handle the altitude. And, you know, it's it kinda it was just one of the first experiences that that, took me outside of my reality and, like I said, beliefs that I had.
Rowan Bathurst:And then from there, we just it just kind of snowballed into other countries. I saw how other people lived and operated, and it's just a constant learning experience. And the best thing is to stay open and, you know, be certain certain of nothing.
Rob Lee:That's that's a good way. It's a good that's a good that's a good sort of sign off. Right? Be certain of nothing. I like that.
Rob Lee:I like that. And, yeah, you know, as I'll say this sort of last comment before going into the rapid fire, I'm a give you a moment to stretch for the rapid fire, you know, after. But, yeah, it is this thing where, you know, I've I've had folks in being out there being sort of a h? What's yeah. D d list.
Rob Lee:I'm gonna say d list celebrity, right, locally, that, you know, when I, you know, share that I wanna do this or go to these other, you know, sorta communities and being a ambassador in many ways for, like, what's here, you know, going there as a Baltimorean, not going there as I'm Baltimore based or being vague about who I am. I go there as, you know, a Baltimorean. I think it is sort of a a refresh in seeing how other people do things, and I go there very much authentic and being being myself. And, you know, whether it's going somewhere, they're still in the same time zone, going to a different coast, or at times potentially going to other countries. I have big plans for for 2025.
Rob Lee:And, you know, it does give you that different perspective. And for me, I think also it's a sort of a recharge. It's like, you know, I walk everywhere, so seeing different street art or trying different food and being a snob about different food. You know, I saw the Anthony Bourdain book. I heard the Anthony Bourdain reference.
Rob Lee:We'll talk about that. Yep. So, yeah, it's there, and I think sort of being a citizen of the world, especially in these times, is very important.
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. Definitely. Also, I love the contrast too of just stepping outside of your comfort zone because when you do come back, it's like there's a whole new sense of gratitude as well.
Rob Lee:100%. Alright. Now it's time for the rapid fire questions.
Rowan Bathurst:Alright. Let's go.
Rob Lee:I was embellishing. I only have 4 of them for you,
Rowan Bathurst:But Okay.
Rob Lee:You know, they're they're good. They're good ones. Not 15. No. No.
Rob Lee:No. I can't give you I I'm tired.
Rowan Bathurst:Okay.
Rob Lee:So so here's the first one. I've heard cake and I heard snowball in this conversation today. So what is your favorite cake, favorite snowball flavor? Please go.
Rowan Bathurst:Oh, gosh. Okay. Snowball, egg custard with marshmallow, hands down. Cake, honestly, I know I worked in Charm City Cakes. I'm not really a cake person.
Rowan Bathurst:I'm gonna have to say I love this thing called loser cake. It's I don't know if you've ever heard of it. It's like pretzel chocolate chip, white chocolate chip, toffee pieces covered with, like, a cream cheese frosting. It's something, I guess, my family made up. I don't know.
Rowan Bathurst:It's my it isn't so good. My favorite thing. Sweet and salty goodness.
Rob Lee:That's something that it's it's like the, it's the cake equivalent of the old Take 5 candy bar that has, like, the presso and caramel.
Rowan Bathurst:Oh, yeah. Probably. Gotta and then men too. It's like
Rob Lee:I'm here for it. And I I like the snowball choice that once upon a time in the background, you know, your boy Rob Lee works on, you know, different collaborations. I was trying to collaborate with a, with a local snowball distributor on a particular flavor. I'm I'm a whore to have my name attached to things, and, I have a cocktail as a coffee out there in the secret menu that has my name on it. There may have been a waffle, dessert waffle from Wafi back in the day.
Rob Lee:You know? But, the snowball flavor I go with, you got the egg custard. Right? You got the Okay. Marshmallow thing right on the same page there.
Rob Lee:I do coconut syrup as well with it.
Rowan Bathurst:Coconut with egg custard?
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Rowan Bathurst:Oh. Actually, that could be that that sounds pretty good.
Rob Lee:It's it's less.
Rowan Bathurst:I'm gonna try that. I'm current I'm currently in Florida, so there are no snowball maybe there is, but I'm gonna have to wait to get back to Baltimore.
Rob Lee:Just just roll up on an alligator and, like, yo, crocodile, whatever. It's like, look, I'm gonna need Mhmm.
Rowan Bathurst:We have a direct through service.
Rob Lee:Nice. So here's the next question I got for you. Crabs, orioles, Black Eyed Susans makeup, some of, like, Baltimore's iconography in visual language. What is, another part of that iconography that you think is a bit unsung? Like, what's missing when people are like, here's the Baltimore logo?
Rowan Bathurst:Oh, I don't know why it came to my mind, but mister Trashville was the first, like, visual thing that came to mind. But maybe because I'm, like, such a big part of the running community, I think. I'm such a, like, a fanatic for run groups. I I just immediately think of how many there are in Baltimore. Not Volo or anything you gotta pay for, but, like, you know, Riot Squad, Tribe Called Run.
Rowan Bathurst:I don't know. I think they they make up a lot of Baltimore.
Rob Lee:So a sneaker, a running sneaker
Rowan Bathurst:A sneaker. Yes. Also, the Baltimore marathon is, like, historically one of the hardest marathons in the US because of how hilly it is.
Rob Lee:And we we need to get a little bit more love for our our running community out there. Look, you know, stop being cowards. Give have an official Baltimore sneaker. Attach it. Make it happen.
Rowan Bathurst:Oh, yes. Yes. Yes.
Rob Lee:Here's the last 2 I got for you. Here's the first one. Which three colors, if you will, are always on your palette?
Rowan Bathurst:Okay. Blue, red. I'm gonna say green. Okay. Okay.
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. Mhmm. I usually I try not to I try to stay away from adding white and black and just mix the colors with, like, the pure, red, blue, yellow. But I always use green somewhere in there.
Rob Lee:I need I need to figure out ways to implement more green. I have this design, the dictionary of color combinations, this old Japanese book, and
Rowan Bathurst:Oh, cool.
Rob Lee:I need to just go through, like, alright, what fit should I be wearing? Because, you know, I get invited to go to things. I had to reject the, like, an Art Basel thing earlier because I was, like, busy. I had a I got a family thing out of there. So
Rowan Bathurst:Oh, okay. I'll be in Basel. That's why I'm here.
Rob Lee:I'm sorry. I'm not gonna be able to pull up blah blah blah. Right? But Oh. When I get invited to these things, it's gonna be it's gonna be more yeses in 2025.
Rob Lee:I need to have garish art guy fit, so that's why I'm looking at these color combinations. I want well, looking like a dick. Like like, just Yeah. Tiny glasses, big scarf, colors. It's just like, yo, are you kidding?
Rowan Bathurst:Go on loud. Oh my god. No. We'll help you. The artist community, we got you.
Rowan Bathurst:We got your back.
Rob Lee:I just wanna close as a buyer and just really bomb things down.
Rowan Bathurst:But it's great because in in Boggle, you can wear literally whatever you want, and you'll still be under draft. I'm sure. So no going wrong there.
Rob Lee:So here here's the here's the some of the last question I got for you. What are you watching? What are you listening to? If you can name one of each, please.
Rowan Bathurst:Oh, man. I'm touching The Great British Bake Off.
Rob Lee:As you should. As you should. What episode are you on? Yeah.
Rowan Bathurst:Okay. No. I'm on the season I'm on season 9. I haven't watched the new one yet, but that's, like, my my evening show. I usually I'm not really listening to anything now.
Rowan Bathurst:I, like, flop between podcast music and audiobooks. But right now, I'm reading. I'm reading a ton. So I just finished this book, yesterday, actually, called, The Road to Nowhere by Barbara Savage. It is a traveling book, and she bicycled with her husband in the seventies around the world.
Rowan Bathurst:So it's so, so interesting.
Rob Lee:That's tight.
Rowan Bathurst:And you're like, pre technology and everything. It's very cool.
Rob Lee:That's really that's really tight. I like it. And, as a fellow, British Baking Challenge watcher, we definitely should trade notes on some thoughts on that.
Rowan Bathurst:I'm so glad.
Rob Lee:Yeah. Yeah. It's, because it's it's science. Like, I'm really I'm I'm okay at cooking. Well, I'm good at cooking.
Rob Lee:Let me give myself some some some proppers as they say. But when it comes to baking, I ain't got it. So I No. I'm fine. Do it.
Rowan Bathurst:It's so funny. People, like, radically assume because I worked at Charm City case that I'm a good baker. Like you said, it truly is science, and I re I'm I'm just not a direction reader. I I really suck at, baking too. Love eating.
Rowan Bathurst:Love eating the all baked goods, I won't lie. But, anything with baking, it's just not my thing. Love watching it.
Rob Lee:Isolate that part. I wish I had a producer in that way. Isolate that part. Love eating, you know, any of the baking that'll bake. That'll be great.
Rob Lee:If I can get a cookie
Rowan Bathurst:We'll try anything.
Rob Lee:With some white chocolate chips and some cream. She's like, yo, making this loser cake real quick, but as a cookie.
Rowan Bathurst:I know. That's my limit to baking skills, a loser cake.
Rob Lee:Well, that's it. So there's there's 2 things I wanna do, you know, as we conclude this conversation. 1, I wanna thank you for coming on and spending some time with me. This has been a lot of fun.
Rowan Bathurst:It has been so much fun. I really enjoyed this.
Rob Lee:And and, 2, I wanna invite and encourage you to share with the listeners where they can follow you to stay up to date on your work and all things happening with you. Social media, website, anything you wanna share, the floor is yours.
Rowan Bathurst:Yeah. Sure. So I think if you wanna follow my life and my work, you can find me on Instagram at Rowan Bathurst, just my full name. I try to post my mainly my work there, what I'm currently, you know, doing with the murals, my upcoming shows, but I also do post some of my travel stuff. And if you wanna see more of my portfolio, you can go on my website, www.
Rowan Bathurst:Growandbathface.com, and find my stuff. And if you're so inclined, I do have a YouTube channel, where I try to do some vlogs, but I haven't updated that in a while. So stick to my Instagram for the fun stuff.
Rob Lee:It's it's a great YouTube. It's just a side
Rowan Bathurst:Also, it'll be it'll be a surprise if you go there. Some surprise videos. We'll save that.
Rob Lee:Love it. Love it. And and there you have it, folks. I want to again thank Rowan Bathurst for coming on to the podcast and sharing a bit of her story with us. And for Rowan Bathurst, I am Rob Lee saying that there's art, culture, community in and around your neck of the woods.
Rob Lee:You've just got to look for it.
