GRAVETTE — In his earlier years, Steven Lowe was a successful artist in New York City. In addition to running galleries that showcased work from Russia, China, Bulgaria and other places around the world, Lowe had shows of his own paintings and sculpture.
“At one point in my career,” Lowe said, sitting on the back porch of his home between Hiwasse and Gravette, “I saw some guy across the street from my gallery. The man explained he was looking for a piece of sculpture for one of his houses. It turned out he was looking for my sculpture. We chatted for about an hour. He didn’t buy the sculpture, but we had a good talk.” The man was Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones.
Despite his success, Lowe sought more out of life. “I was a typically frustrated artist,” Lowe laughed. “Just about every week I’d knock out a painting. It seemed like it got too easy. I wanted a challenge.”
One of Lowe’s good friends suggested he visit Nepal. “A few weeks later,” Lowe said, “I had a ticket.”
Steven Lowe traveled to the Himalayan country to study the area’s traditionalarts, including sculpture, cloth painting and jewelry making. After a few years of daily study with a master of traditional arts in the capital city, Kathmandu, Lowe said his teacher gave him the deepest praise a student can hope to earn.
“My professor said, ‘Now you are the master and I am the student,’” Lowe remembered, gratefully.
Lowe spent the next two decades in Nepal living with local families and applying his mastery of traditional arts.While there, Lowe started a stationery factory, a woodcarving gallery and a jewelry workshop, all of which trained local young people to produce art. Lowe also established Lotus Art Supplies, a company featuring elegant, handcrafted art tools.
“We crafted ruby-encrusted paintbrushes with mongoose hair,” Lowe said. “The tools were works of art in themselves.”
After 22 years in Nepal, Lowe and his Nepali wife decided to return to the United States. He deeded his workshops to local families before he departed the country. The workshops still employ more than 200 people and export jewelry internationally.
Instead of returning toNew York City, though, Lowe chose to move to Northwest Arkansas, where his family had roots. A relative of Lowe’s helped to found Lowell, and the artist’s parents lived in the area for a number of years. When Lowe came to Benton County, he moved into a house he and his father built 45 years ago.
Lowe has created some art since he has come to Arkansas. One piece of sculpture is installed outside of the World’s Gym in Lowell. While he decided not to convert his house into an art studio, Lowe does want to create more sculpture.
“I’d like to work with the land to create something really monumental, something different.”
While he is waiting for the right opportunity to create such sculptures,Lowe is sharing his passions and experiences by teaching courses at the Lifelong Learning Center of Northwest Arkansas in Bentonville. Currently, Lowe offers a number of short, affordable classes at LLCNWA, including a course on traditional arts and one on trekking in Nepal.
“I get a kick out of teaching,” Lowe explains. “I’m introducing knowledge to people. It means opening up their skulls and pouring in knowledge.”
To learn more about Lowe’s courses and other classes at the LifelongLearning Center of NWA, go to www.llcnwa.com. People interested in commissioning Lowe for art can contact the author of this article.
News, Pages 2 on 06/08/2011