(January 1, 2025) Vessels of Belonging weaves a vibrant dialogue between past and present, celebrating the artistry of women who have, across centuries, shaped interplay of form, expression, and the intangible threads that connect generations of women through art. The lively paintings reflect on the weight carried by objects; ceramic forms, textile motifs, and elements of nature, imbued with both purpose and memory. Rooted in the tactile and symbolic, this show explores the vessel as both an object and an idea—a space for holding, a source of comfort, and a sanctuary of nurture. These creations serve as markers of presence and care, bridging the personal and the collective.
Rowan Bathurst’s exhibit, Vessels of Belonging, opens with a free reception on Friday January 10, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Location: Maryland Women’s Heritage Center, 333 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201
At its core, the work meditates on spaces that hold and sustain, offering solace in their quiet utility and seeming simplicity while transcending it to embody something more profound: an enduring resonance of care and connection. Drawing inspiration from historical practices and contemporary perspectives of joy, sisterhood, and solitude, the paintings blur the boundaries between maker and object, past and present, inviting viewers to inhabit a space of reflection and continuity, the enduring need for spaces where belonging is cradled and shared.
A love letter to women’s ability to create and carry, Vessels of Belonging is a celebration of materiality and metaphor, where the acts of creation become a testament to history, belonging, and the essence of life itself.
About the Artist
Rowan Bathurst (b. 1995 Baltimore, MD) lives and works between Baltimore and São Paulo, Brazil. Primarily focusing on portraiture of women, she paints from her own photographs of close friends while incorporating elements and familiar landscapes from her time living in rural Brazil and backpacking through the continents.
Beyond her latest exhibition, Bathurst’s recent work focuses on creating a dialogue between present day women and prehistoric artifacts, particularly venus figurines and ceramic antiquities.
Inspired by these archeological pieces, women’s history, and our connection to the earth, the paintings radiate warmth, sisterhood and an innate bond that we share with our lineage. The work offers a fresh perspective when observing women in art, one that emanates tranquility and confidence while maintaining vulnerability. Bathurst’s work reflects the shared history we carry within us, drawing on the connections that shape our experiences and the ways in which friendship continues to honor this lineage.
Bathurst earned her BFA in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2018. Her work has been collected and exhibited locally and internationally in both solo and group exhibitions. She was nominated as a participating artist for The Rema Hort Mann Foundation in 2022. Alongside her studio practice, she participates in mural work worldwide, including Walls off Washington Festival, Brush Mural Fest, and more.
